Hollow Bastion High
by Shadow-x-Play
Summary: Young Sora returns to Hollow Bastion High in his 10th year with best friends Riku, Kairi and Namine. With many, many Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy characters involved, it's a glance at their teen years, fun times!
1. It's Good To Be Back

"Mmm…strawberries…"

Sora tossed in his sleep, licking his lips as the mouth-watering image of strawberries draped in milky chocolate encircles his mind from yet another random dream.

"…Candy apples…"

"Sora?"  
The sound of another voice caused Sora's brow to ruffle as he rolls onto his back, his eyes still closed as he remains in his everlasting slumber.

"Sora isn't a sweet…" he mumbles, twitching his nose slightly at the idea of a 'Sora Sweet.' The tall teen stood besides Sora's bed rolls his eyes and sighs with slight aggravation.  
"Sora!" The sudden yell causing the spiky-haired, 15 year old to shoot up, his eyelids springing open as he gazes around dazedly to see his best friend, Riku, stood grinning with his arms folded.

"…Huh?" Sora rubs his eyes, yawning and wincing slightly as Riku draws open his curtains, the summer sun drowning the room in light.

"Come on Sora! First day back at school! And at this rate we're going to be late!"  
Sora moans, flopping his head back down on his pillow and waving his hand slightly at his silver-haired friend.

"Give me 5 more minutes…"

A pillow is thrown roughly at Sora's head, bouncing off and landing on the floor, his brown hair somehow remaining its spiked form. A muffled laugh comes from him as he pushes himself up, sitting up slowly and returning the pillow to Riku in a lazy throw.

Stretching out his arms and catching it with ease, Riku grins and hands Sora his crumpled school uniform, unwashed from last year. He turns and heads for the door, carrying his blazer over his shoulder in his gloved hand.

"Come on Sora, it's not like you to be lazy for anything," he smiles slightly, flicking his head to the side as his hair falls out of his eyes to improve his vision of Sora and his extremely untidy bedroom.

"That doesn't include school though…" Sora smirks, snatching up his clothes and trying to figure which way his trousers go on, failing in the end.

Riku smiles slightly watching his friend struggle with one of the simplest tasks of which a baby could probably handle. Turning, he heads for the door, picking up his bag and slinging it over his shoulder.

"Kairi and Namine are waiting downstairs, be quick!"

As soon as the name 'Kairi' escapes Riku's mouth, a smile plays around Sora's lips. Kairi, his and Riku's other childhood friend, a calm and caring girl who could befriend the most threatening of beasts.

Changing quickly before running downstairs, Sora snatches up the waffle left from his mother before leaping out the door, returning five seconds later to retrieve his school bag before exiting once more.

"Sora! Hey!" Kairi calls from across the road, bouncing slightly on the spot as she waves at her dear friend.

"Kairi!" Without even glancing across the road he leaps towards her, a hand shoots out, yanking him back as a car speeds past, the driver yelling murmured abuse at the clumsy teen.

"Whoops…" Sora grins nervously, glancing behind him to see a tall blonde, hair spiked almost identical to his own, clutching onto Sora's bag handle.

Cloud shakes his head, his lips curved into a slight smile as he releases his grip from Sora's school bag.

"Stop…look…" He begins, before being interrupted by his little brother.

"…listen…yeah, yeah I know!" Grins in a rather innocent manor and pauses before gallivanting across the road to join his fellow companions on their journey to school.

"Be careful; try not to get into any serious accidents this term why don't you!" Yells Cloud, lifting up onto his tip-toes to look above the car that pulled up outside his house to watch Sora walk off with his friends, seeing him wave his hand slightly to signal he heard, not necessarily meaning he took notice.

"You're rather overprotective of him y'know…" Comes a voice from below Cloud. His deep blue eyes flicker down onto the boy in the car as he shrugs in response and opens the door, sitting inside with him.

"…He's my brother, what else am I supposed to do?" Smirks slightly as he throws his bag onto the back seat, glancing at Zack sat besides him before they drive off.

Driving round the corner they pause, coming to a small cottage by the beach, flowers perched outside in decorative pots as a girl steps out of the house, a similar age to Cloud and Zack.

She smiles sweetly, her hair curly brown hair bouncing on her shoulders as she approaches the car, blushing slightly as Zack grins at her.

"Morning," Aerith's lips flicker into a girly smile as she bends down slightly, kissing Zack gently on the lips and taking a seat in the back. She leans forward and smiles warmly at Cloud.

"Hello Cloud, excited about a new school year?" She holds her school books to her chest as if she cherishes them dearly.

Cloud opens his mouth to react but just ends up shrugging, smiling slightly and resting his elbow on the window, glancing into the car mirror and seeing a familiar face running up behind them.

"Zack!! You said you'd wait!" Yells Tifa, panting as she strops up to the car, placing one hand on her hip, clutching her school belongings in the other.

Zack grins rubbing his forehead rather guiltily, glancing at Cloud who shakes his head grinning.

"Sorry Tifa…I forgot…"  
"You always forget!" Rolls her eyes and takes a seat besides Aerith in the back, the two of them greeting and discussing the upcoming day before they drive off towards Hollow Bastion High.

--

The tall orange-bricked buildings stand as they were the previous year. The school flag fluttering in the slight breeze with pride, the windows shimmering in the gleaming sunlight as numerous students sit out in the fields surrounding the cheery school buildings.

To the north half of the school are the English and Maths blocks, the southern end of the school holds the notorious Science rooms with various experimental lab rooms and Technology classes. To the east holds the Geography and History areas, and in the West are the Music and Art rooms.

The four buildings surround a large field area, currently swarmed with crowds of students, chatting and swapping stories of the summer. In the centre of all the commotion stands a very large water fountain, a stone model of the Head Teacher, and a plaque beneath reading: Ansem the Wise.

However, the glory of having such a statue is ruined from the fact of the drawn on beard, party hat and other such violations on the stone statue. The three words on the plaque stand clear but with the extra addition of the words '...Ass Old Man' scribbled on in permanent pen.

--

Sora slumps down on the benches surrounding the statue, dropping his bag to the floor and leaning back on the bench, soaking up the rays.

"Ah! Don't you just love this weather?"

Kairi giggles, sitting down besides his feet and nudging them slightly so Namine can sit besides her.

"Yeah…I'm so glad to be back…" She smiles, tucking her hair behind her ear as Namine nods, leaning forward slightly to see Sora, her delicate blonde locks swaying slightly in the breeze.

"I bet you're glad to be back Sora!"

Sora shrugs, watching the wisps of clouds in the light blue sky roll past.

"Actually…I kinda am..."  
Glancing at Kairi, Namine smiles holding her sketchpad in her hand.

"I can't wait for the art lessons! They'll be so good this year!"  
Riku smiles, his soft silver hair whipping around his neck as he watches so many students enter the school, some new…some old, some clueless and some already clutching their stomachs in laughter.

"Yeah…it's good to be back," he nods, seeing a certain friend of theirs walking over, his sandy coloured hair spiked up oddly as usual, as if he just rolled out of bed with no extra effort needed. Sora sits up, seeing his cousin walk over and moves his hand in a gesture of a greeting, Roxas nods in return.

"Hey guys, have a nice summer?" His deep blue eyes mimic in Sora's as Riku, Kairi and Namine nod, no need for Sora to reply as they spent most of their summer together at family gatherings.

Roxas grins, his friends Hayner, Pence and Olette stood and chatting with each other. Pence cautiously steps towards Kairi, his cheeks flushing red as the red sweatband around his hand dampens and his hands begin to sweat slightly as he fiddles with his fingers.

"Um…eheh…hello...K-Kairi," he smiles nervously as she beams up to him, as natural as ever.

"Hey Pence! How was your summer?"  
Pence just giggles, turning bright red and hiding behind Hayner, who rolls his eyes, folding his arms and kicking a rock as him and Roxas exchange glances, heading over to the cafeteria area.

"Neeeever gona happen dude…" Hayner pats Pence sympathetically on his shoulder, Roxas nodding and placing his hands in his pockets.

"Roxas!!"

The poor teen couldn't react quickly enough as a fiery red-headed Year 12 student leaps on him, snatching him up in a head lock, Roxas receiving a rather forceful nugie. However, his hair doesn't seem to have changed from the playful act.

Roxas grins, throwing his friend off and pulling himself to his feet, dusting himself down.

"Hey Axel, haven't seen you in a while," Scratches the back of his head as a spark of guilt flutters around in his mind.

"No worries!" Slings his arm round Roxas' shoulder, his free hand flicking his trusty flame-marked lighter on and off as usual. "How you finding life in Year 7?" He laughs teasingly, not realising he's placing too much weight on Roxas' shoulder as he begins to give way.

"I'm in Year 10…" His expression portrays his feelings of playful agitation at Axel's comments. Axel blinks, shrugs and nudges him playfully, relieving his weight off the younger one's shoulder.

"Anyway…see you around!" Turns and heads off to rejoin his friends sat on a rounded bench in the shade, he glances over his shoulder at Roxas smirking, his dabs of eye-make just barely visible on his cheeks after he received numerous complaints from various teachers throughout the past few years in the school. "Have fun in Year 7!"

"Year 10!" Roxas grins slightly, turning and ordering some breakfast with his friends, Pence still in a day-dream from his short but sweet interactions with his crush: Kairi.

Axel jogs back over to his Year 12 companions sat in the shadowy area of the centre field.

Demyx, sat leaning back against the wall rather lethargically, with his guitar over his knee, tuning it with the utmost of concentration. He glances up at Axel, his brown-sandy hair stood up on end with surprisingly little gel holding it together, a few strands of rebellious hair dangling before his eyes.

"Hey Axel, was that Roxas you were talking to?" Comes a rather deep voice from the other side of the bench, where Marluxia is sat, slowly plucking the petals off a freshly picked rose.

"Yeah, he's growing quickly…I remember when we used to play as stupid little kids, now we're like…adults, well…almost." Takes a seat besides Larxene, who is busy scribbling obscene words on the newly bought bench.

"I don't wana be an adult…they're all…old and stupid…"

"Says the girl who just wrote 'I hate my stupid eglish teacher'…" Adds Axel, flicking his lighter on and off in a rather annoying fashion.

"Well I don't know how it's spelled do I! And I don't even care for that matter…" Scribbles on the desk to add an 'n' to the word 'eglish.'

"If you don't care…then why did you correct it?" Smirks Axel, flicking his lighter on once more. Larxene rolls her eyes and snatches it from his hands; a look of sheer desperation appears on his face as he begs for it back, extremely scared of the consequences of something so dangerous in her hands, as she has such a strong reputation of being a very brutal girl.

Marluxia glances around the new students, his gaze fixing upon two scrambling up the back of the Ansem statue.

"Axel, what exactly is your brother doing?"  
"Huh?" Leaning forward he sees his older brother tying a bright pink bow tie around the stone statue of their Head Teacher. He rolls his eyes and shakes his head, not so surprised.

"Don't know, don't care, got it memorized?"

Marluxia smirks slightly, Axel's catch phrase never far from conversation as he watches the two Year 13 students vandalise the statue for the 7th time.

"Rude! Hold still!" Reno called out, struggling to remain balanced on his friend's shoulders as he strapped the luminous pink bow tie around the stone statue.

In response, Rude rolled his eyes and gripped the red-head's ankles in an effort to keep him steady, as collapsing down would result in both of them receiving a wet welcome from the water fountain below.

"Almost…almost!" His fingers repeatedly tied knots in the material, providing a better chance of the fancy-dress item to remain on the stone Head Teacher.

"Reno!" Rude yelled from below, his legs shaking under the pressure as the rebellious Reno leans further forward enabling him to attach clip-on plastic earrings to his artistic masterpiece.

"Done - WAH!" He flails his arms about in the air as they both crash down into the shallow pool below.

From the opposite side of the field, Axel rolls his eyes and groans from embarrassment as his older brother yet again makes a fool out of himself.

Marluxia chuckles to himself and lets another rose petal flutter out of his grasp due to the summer breeze, tilting his head in Axel's direction.

"You take after him y'know…" His comment is met by a fiery glare from the younger of the two red-headed brothers. Marluxia's lips curve into a grin as he silences himself as a sign to Axel that he doesn't want to become burnt on the first day back to school.

Sora barely even noticed the two Year 13's fighting in the pool behind him. That was until Reno accidentally whipped him with his long pony-tail. The young brunette glanced over his shoulders, narrowing his eyes slightly but laughing as he saw the 'new and improved' Ansem statue.

All the students' conversations are halted as the school bell echoes throughout the buildings and fields, everyone picking up their school equipment and heading off the to their first lesson of the day. Many younger children walk around rather scared as the older ones tease them of the evil teacher that lurk within. Frankly, they had no idea.


	2. Some Things Never Change

"Come on Riku! We've got the 1500 metres today!!" Calls Sora, throwing on his large, yellow trainers and jogging outside, eager to begin the school year with his favourite lesson: Sport.

"Alright Sora…" Replies Riku, strapping up his trainers and glancing over at Roxas, changing on the other side of the room.

"Riiikuuu!" The silver-haired teen jumps slightly at his name and blinks, glancing away from Roxas and standing up, heading out to join the rest.

Jogging towards the class, Riku joins with Sora as Professor Auron as his deep, rough voice announces to the class their lesson plan.

"Now, if everyone will follow me to the track!" He calls, his voice echoing through the old oak trees at the side of the field as they follow him to the track at the far end, Prof. Auron holding up at the back, eyeing Sora and Riku through his darkened, circle glasses.

"Will you two be competing for the best times again; last year was pretty close…" Riku grins rather proudly at the teacher's remark as he beat Sora, only just, in last years summer races. The younger friend narrows his eyes jokily at his rival, folding his arms behind his head as he glances over at the track.

"This year…I won't lose a single race!"

"Don't get so over confident now Sora…" Smiles Riku, folding his arms and waiting at the starting line as Prof. Auron lines everyone up, his whistle between his lips. Standing by the side and checking everyone is ready he signals with his hand, 3…2…1…And with a sharp blow on the whistle, everyone leaps off to a brilliant start, however, Riku stays further behind, keeping a slow, yet steady pace behind the others.

Sora glances over his shoulder, sprinting ahead of everyone else and laughing seeing Riku stuck at the back.

"As I said, I won't lose a single race!" Focusing ahead he carries on sprinting, rounding the corners with speed, but slowing as he draws onto his final lap.

Glancing over his shoulder, he sees the rest of the class scattered on different laps, but knowing he still remains in 1st place. Roxas and Hayner run at the same speed, only a short distance behind him. His eyes squint to try and detect his rival, but to no avail.

As his vision is drawn away from in front, he doesn't notice the tall teen swiftly sprint past him, laughing and continuing on ahead at an amazing speed.

His silver hair flowing over his shoulders as he leaps across the finish line, skidding to a halt and glancing over his shoulder at the baffled Sora, jogging slowly across the line and staring at his all-of-a-sudden proud friend.

"What…how…why…" He pants; hanging his head in shame as Riku pats his back reassuringly, laughing slightly.

"Some things never change Sora…some things never change."

"That was some damn fine racing you did their boys, I'm proud of you both!" Claps Prof. Auron, jogging over, stopwatch in hand and recording their times.

"Next time Riku!" Sora laughs, nudging his friend in a playful manor.

"That's what you always say!" Laughs the older teen, swiftly pulling Sora in a friendly head-lock, rubbing his knuckles over his head as the brunette laughs and squirms in Riku's fine grip.

Prof. Auron grins at the two friends as he waits for the other pupils to finish and record their times, afterwards, another sharp blow on his whistle sends them all sprinting off to the showers.

Of course, the race between Sora and Riku to the showers is won by Riku, naturally.

"You're so cocky Riku! One day, you're gona cry when you lose to me!!" Laughs Sora, poking his tongue out at his older friend before stepping into the shower cubicle.

"Well, I have a reason to be cocky Sora, I always win!" He cheers above the squeaking of taps and running of water, "And never will you see me cry in defeat!!"

"Wait until Kairi wants a boyfriend, then you two will be fighting over her like…uh, well…you two."

Sora and Riku both perk up, able to see each other's heads over the walls, but nothing else. Glancing over into the cubicle to the left of Riku they see Sora's cousin, Roxas, rubbing some kind of gel into his hair.

"…What?"  
"Who said I liked Kairi?" Questions Riku, a bit thrown off by Roxas' comment.

"Well uh…you lot have always been friends, I just thought…sooner or later one of you two is bound to end up with her…" Answers Roxas, running his fingers through his hair to gain his punky look. A blinking Sora leans over towards Riku, staring rather intently.

"I thought you did like her…?"

"Well, I uh…it's not that I don't like her…it's just she…me…uh…" Feels himself flush a light shade of pink as the two younger boys seem to be staring quite harshly at him, awaiting his answer. "Will you two stop staring at me in the shower?!"

As his voice echoes around the showers, everyone's heads seem to turn in their direction, chuckling slightly as Riku rolls his eyes and wraps a towel round himself, turning off his shower to go get changed.

Sora and Roxas glance at each other as Riku exits, shrugging and also turning off their showers and heading to get changed.

A stumpy boy waddles over to Roxas, clutching a towel round himself and beginning to change, not before asking Roxas:

"Were you guys talking about K-Kairi?" Grins Pence, his cheeks fluttering red once more as he thinks about his crush.

Roxas just grins as Hayner swings an arm around Pence, nudging him slightly in the cheek and shaking his head sorrowfully.

"Pence, we will tell you this until it sinks it – Neeeever gona happen mate," Winks Hayner, before smiling at Roxas and beginning to change also.

--

As Riku walks on ahead, seeing as he changed before his friends in order to get out of the Kairi-questioning, he heads over to East Block for his Electronics class, taught by the rather laid-back, Prof. Braig.

He is marked as one of the 'cooler' teaches with his trade-mark American accent and long dark hair; he seems to have more fun in electrocuting himself and his fellow teachers than actually teaching the lesson.

He was almost fired a few years back when he decided he was qualified enough to fix Prof. Dilan's, the Food Technology teacher, favourite food blender when one of Prof. Dilan's dread locks had 'accidentally' (By no help from a certain red haired Year 13 student…) got locked inside.

After much arguing between the two Professors, Prof. Braig through he could easily let loose his colleague's hair without having to cut it off.

After an excruciating hour of pulling hair and twiddling with blenders, Prof. Braig gave up, stuck his screw driver into the machine without a care in the world, resulting in half of the class room being stained with tomatoes that were formerly inside the blender.

Now, Prof. Dilan is usually a reasonable teacher, if you haven't made the mistake of shredding his dread-locks and covering him in squashed tomatoes – hence Prof. Braig's eye patch.

As Riku crosses the centre field over to East Block, his ears pick up the voices of three Year 12's, sniggering as they walk up behind him and suddenly grasping him on the shoulder.

"Well well well, our little cousin back to school again!" Laughs Kadaj, the younger of the three brothers, Loz and Yazoo sniggering.

Riku sighs and continues walking along with his older, silver haired cousins.

"So, how you getting along? Got a girlfriend yet?"  
"Bet he hasn't!!" Laughs Loz, the larger and oldest of the three, with his short silver hair gelled back with a slight quiff.

"Now brothers, be nice to our young Riku, he's got years ahead of him for that sort of thing…" Grins Yazoo, flicking his longer, glossy hair over his shoulder as he smirks at Riku and turns his attention over to West Block, glancing back over to Kadaj who smiles behind his shoulder length, and amazingly straight hair.

"We'll see you later Riku, don't get into trouble now!" Laughs Kadaj, before walking off with his brothers to their next lesson: Music.

Walking into the Year 12 music class, Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz take up their usual seats at the back.

Leaning back against wall on his seat, Kadaj cunningly plans how to humiliate their new music teacher. Scribbling on the desk, Loz continues to draw fat versions of his classmates, while Yazoo flicks his hair out of his eyes, gazing around the classroom then turning his attention to his brother.

"Hey Kadaj, what teacher do we have this term?" His voice rather light and soft, easily complimenting his innocent pale green eyes.

"I don't know…but we'll torment him either way," A smile plays around his lips as Loz chuckles to himself, bringing his attention up off the desk and smirking along with his brothers…until the classroom door slams open.

A gloved hand slams the door shut once more, as a tall figure strides inside, his mere presence sending the whole class into silence as the three brothers stare in horror.

As the substitute teacher picks up the white chalk and scribbles on the board, Axel (ironically sat on the front row) makes the mistake of flicking his lighter.

Immediately, the tall Professor spins round, slamming his extra long metal ruler down on the table and glaring, eye to eye with the now trembling red head.

"Hand…it…over." The deep, commanding words sending everyone into utter silence as chills run through the room.

Gulping, Axel drops his lighter into the black-gloved hands and almost shrinks back in his chair cowardly.

The teacher smirks, tossing the light in the air and whacking it swiftly with his metallic ruler, sending it whizzing through the air into the bin.

The pupils stare in amazement; Zack blinks and claps his hands in a congratulating manor.

"Well done sir!" After receiving a piercing glare from his Professor he stares at the table, a bit red.

Cloud, sat besides him, sniggers slightly, only to find that metallic ruler being slammed down before him, causing him to jump in his seat, staring up at the teacher, his long silver hair trailing down off his shoulders.

"And what are you laughing at?" The blonde tries his hardest not to smile before answering.

"N-nothing…"

"Nothing what?!"  
"Nothing, sir…" Kicks Zack roughly under the table as he can sense him sniggering besides him as the teacher turns back to the blackboard.

"I will be your music teacher for the next year, my name is Professor Sephiroth and you will refer to be as that or as 'Sir' nothing else, am I clear?" The class nods in unison apart from the three on the back row, Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz still sit in terror, mouths wide open.

Prof. Sephiroth narrows his eyes and folds his arms, his gaze meeting theirs.

"I am not a Dentist; close your mouths at once!" He orders, immediately their jaws slams shut, as they continue to stare, shaken to their very core.

--

After an hour of torment, in which they are forced to learn about the Classical Era, the Year 12's escape quickly, running down the stairs and out into the field for break.

Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz step outside and just stare at each other, still in a state of bewilderment and shock. Tifa and Aerith exit, swapping their opinions on their new teacher as they come across the startled brothers.

"What is it with you three?" Asks Tifa, pulling out her drink to take a sip.

"…He's our…" Kadaj stares at the ground, pale.

"…He's your what?" Asks Aerith politely, rather concerned for the three.

"Girlfriend?" Laughs Larxene, walking past along with Marluxia, Demyx and Axel, after he retrieved his trusty lighter from the bin. Tifa rolls her eyes and turns his attention back to Kadaj.

"…Uncle." He sighs, knowing this term won't be as fun as they anticipated.


	3. More Sexy Math Teachers

The silver haired brothers droop down onto the benches in the centre field, moping in the knowledge that their treacherous Uncle Sephiroth will be taking their lessons all year long.

Even though they may be family, Uncle Sephiroth isn't really the kind of person you want at a family reunion, thankfully, he never really showed up.

The only thing to cheer up poor Kadaj was the image of seeing their cousin: Riku's face once they told him of the new arrival to the staff.

Yazoo perks his head up at the sign of a certain Year 13, Reno. Brother to his fellow classmate Axel, Yazoo had always seemed to take a fancy to the older red haired rebel, seeing as his cheeks flush pink at the very sight of him.

Kadaj merely rolls his eyes at his brother, slapping Loz on the back to try and put a stop to his sobbing so he can concentrate on spotting their young cousin.

Fortunately for Riku, Reno antics with his classmates Rude, Tidus, Wakka and a lot of untamed basketballs, allowed them to remain undetected by Kadaj as their classes are dismissed.

As Sora and Riku walk out onto the centre field from a rather odd Electronics lesson, they take their usual seats by the fountain. Delving into his pockets, Sora pulls out some Munny which he hands to Riku, grinning innocently as he nods over at the Ice Cream stand in the Cafeteria.

"You're so lazy Sora…" Laughs Riku, rolling his eyes and nudging the cheeky brunette before sprinting over and beginning to order their Sea-Salt ice cream.

"Hey Sora, you alright?" Smiles Kairi, sitting down besides him as Namine joins them both.

"Yeah, thanks Kairi…bit weird to be back, but it's great to see everyone again," replies Sora, leaning back on the stone with his arms folded behind his head.

"Ahem…" Riku raises his eyebrows as Sora realises he's taking up the entire bench. A childish grin sprouts over the younger boys face, and then is suddenly thrown away as Riku offers Kairi and Namine the ice creams intended for the two of them.

"Ladies, here you go," Smirks Riku, handing them the sea blue ice creams and almost pushing Sora off the bench to sit down, "So…what do we have next?"

"Uh…maths I think," Smiles Namine, licking the ice cream treat from Riku.

"Oh! We've got a new teacher for maths, right? I wonder what he'll be like…" Giggles Kairi, poking Sora who's decided to lie on the grass instead.

"Hey guys!! How've you lot been?!" Yells Selphie, another Year 10 student. She bounds over, her hazel hair flicking upwards off her shoulders as she shuffles down in between Kairi and Namine.

"Hey Selphie, we're good thanks, just thinking about what our new math teacher's going to be like," Kairi answers, flicking her ice cream stick into the bin as she nods at Riku as a thank you, Sora glaring at him in a playful manor.

"Hmm…I reckon he'll be like 100 years old!" Laughs Selphie, sticking her thumb out behind her, pointing to the not-so-proud statue of their Head teacher – Ansem.

"Just like this guy…old and boring…who else would teach maths?!"  
The girls giggle as Sora leans up on his elbows, joining in.

"Well, we're all sitting at the back again like last year, right?"

"Right!" Cheers Riku and the three girls.

"Oh by the way Namine, how are things going with Roxas? Has he asked you out yet?" Selphie ponders, eager to hear Namine's answer, after she's done blushing that is.

"Well, he hasn't said anything yet…but he was smiling at me all this morning…" She grins, tucking her soft blonde hair behind her ears as the girls mimic her smile.

"You fancy Roxas?! Ew…he's my cousin!" Complains Sora, thudding his head back down on the grass.

"Well obviously the good looks don't run in the family then," Laughs Riku, nudging Sora with his foot as he's sit besides him on the luscious green turf.

"Hey!!" Yells the small brunette, as the girls giggle and sympathise for Sora.

"Don't worry; there are plenty of girls out there looking for a guy like you Sora!" Selphie reassures him, not doing such a great job of it as Sora continues to frown.

"And if girls aren't for you, there are lots of guys out there too y'know," Riku winks, laughing as Sora leaps onto him, forcing him down in the grass.

After a few minutes of play fighting between the two of them, Sora fishes out his gloves from the water fountain, and throws one at his older friend in revenge.

"Hey, play nicely now you two," Cheers Kairi, ordering them both to sit down and behave, "well…what Riku said is true; there are plenty of gay students here actually."

"There are?" Wonders Sora, tipping his head to the side to relieve his ears from the fountain water.

"Yeah, there's my cousin Yazoo…that pink haired one that hangs around with Axel in Year 12 – "

"Marluxia, I think his name is," Namine adds, Riku just shrugging and continuing.

"I'm pretty sure our Astronomy teacher, Prof. Saix, fancied Prof. Xemnas, our R.S teacher."

"Now that's just scary!!" Laughs Selphie, sucking on a lollipop.

"And uh…well then there's Sora, of course," Laughs Riku, holding Sora back by the shoulders before another fight in the fountain breaks out.

As the girls are set off into hysterics, the school bell echoes through the grounds, signalling the end of break time and beginning of lesson 3, which in the Year 10's case, happens to be Maths.

"I reckon he's all wrinkly!"

"With a grey beard!"

"And glasses, that are so strong they magnify his eyes!" Kairi laughs, as Namine, Selphie and herself line up in North Block corridor for their maths lesson, awaiting their new teacher.

As they hear the doors open around the corner, they all peer their heads around, glancing down the pale orange hallway, seeing a figure stepping out of the teacher's lounge and head their way.

"I don't get it, why are they so obsessed with a new male teacher?" Sora questions Hayner, who happens to be standing behind him in line.

"I don't know either, all the teachers are ugly old men anyway…" Hayner shrugs, leaning against the wall and flicking the corridor light switch for entertainment.

Riku smirks hearing Sora's comments, glancing over his shoulder at his short friend.

"Sora…you're not jealous, are you?" Raises an eyebrow in suspicion as Sora laughs, shaking his head, but with a hint a red dancing on his cheeks.

"Jealous?" He folds his arms behind his head, grinning at the silver haired teen, "Why would I be jealous?"

"Cause you fancy Kairi," Adds Roxas, in a hushed voice so the girls wouldn't overhear.

"What? No I don't…Riku does," Mutters Sora, his cheeks slowly flushing a deeper shade of red.

"No I don't, she's my friend!" Riku turns around, facing the proper way in the line as Sora glances back over to Roxas, stood to the side.

"She's alright I guess…" The sandy haired boy raises an eyebrow, smiling at his cousin, as Sora rolls his eyes and shrugs, "She's nice…she is…but I'm not turning into my brother."

"What's wrong with Cloud?" Questions Roxas, shuffling back into the line as their new maths teacher is heard walking up the corridor.

"He fancies that girl Aerith, who's Zack's girlfriend…and Zack's his best friend so he's got to be all nice and everything but he's really jealous sometimes…and then there's Tifa who likes him as well…"

"…Who are these people?"

Sora laughs and shakes his head at Roxas.

"Never mind…hey, here he comes…"

Selphie, Kairi and Namine continue to giggle until their eyes fall upon their new Maths Professor. Stepping into the classroom and holding the door open for them, the young man smiles slightly, his lips curving perfectly as he flicks his shady, blue hair out of his eyes.

"Step inside, please," His voice not so deep, but spoken clearly, proving he has rather a high level of intellect and sophistication for such a young man.

The pupils shuffle inside, the girls all hushed and immediately snatch the seats on the front row, Sora shrugging and leaning over to Riku.

"So much for always sitting at the back…" Sora slumps down on the back row, between Riku and Roxas.

Kairi, Namine, Selphie along with Olette, take their places at the front, smiling at their new Professor welcomingly.

Roxas nudges Hayner and laughs slightly at the frown on his face.

"You sad Olette dumped you for Prof. Hunky?"

"She didn't dump me…she just chose to sit at the front, 'tis all," Growls Hayner, folding his arms and glaring at Roxas as he laughs at his comments.

"Excuse me class, my name is Professor Ienzo, I'm your new Maths teacher."

"Well no…" Mutters Hayner, already crafting a paper airplane out of boredom.

The girls swoon to themselves as they watch him hand out their new Maths text books, unable to unglue their eyes from him. Standing before them and beginning to talk, they stare without a word of his entering their minds as they're cramped with his lovely image already.

Sora rolls his eyes at the sight of all the girls in the class hanging onto Prof. Ienzo's every word. His glinting blue eyes bounce off their heads and suddenly land on Riku who, to Sora's surprise, seems to have the same amount of attention placed upon the teacher as the rest of the girls do.

"…Riku?" Inquires Sora, nudging his friend who suddenly shakes his head and blinks at the brunette, an innocent smile playing around his lips.

"Uh…yeah?" Grins Riku, sliding the hair from his eyes casually.

"…Why were you staring at the Professor?"

"Staring? Ahahahahahaha…why would I be staring?" Sora merely blinks at Riku's reply. Roxas leans forward, glancing at Sora.

"I reckon they only hired him because they'd get more pupils to pay attention…" Nodding at Roxas' comment, Sora sighs and slumps back in his seat.

"Well, the world could always do with more sexy maths teachers…"

Sora, Roxas, Hayner, Pence and practically the rest of the class, besides the swooning girls, turn and stare at Riku, who merely shrugs.

"…What?"


	4. Love's A Strange Thing

With only 5 more minutes of the boys having to endure Prof. Ienzo's maths, as the girls sit and swoon before him, Hayner sets his sights upon making a working paper airplane.

"Hayner…"  
The blonde haired rebel pokes his head up, glancing at Pence who merely and tuts and shakes his head

"What?" He replies, rather aggravated, folding the paper quickly.

"Remember what happened last time you made paper airplanes?"

"It wasn't my fault it accidentally hit the fire alarm, was it?!" Hisses Hayner, as Pence grins slightly, leaning back against the wall lazily.

"Sure…'accidentally'…" Laughs Pence, shutting up as Hayner glares menacingly at him, holding up the paper and showing off his finished grand design.

"Take a look at this baby, she'll fly for miles!" Cheers Hayner, raising his arm up and sending it soaring through the air towards Prof. Ienzo.

Due to his sharp reaction time, the teacher merely snatches it in one hand, still scribbling on the black board with the other as he surveys the model up and down before turning back round to the class.

Pulling the paper apart, Hayner raises his voice to yell until Prof. Ienzo holds up a finger to silence him. Re –folding the paper in a different pattern, he flicks it off his palm as the paper airplane twirls in the air and lands in the middle of Hayner's desk, his jaw soon hitting it.

The Prof. smirks and suddenly continues to write again.

"In future, pay attention to my lesson and you may just figure out how to correctly build your 'baby' and actually hit me on target," Glancing over his shoulder, he flicks his shadowy hair out of his eyes and smirks at the astonished boys on the back row. "Thank you, class dismissed."

"Woah…"

"Wow…"

"My God…"

"I know…"

"Those eyes…"

"That smile…"

"That ass!" Selphie's last remark sending herself, Kairi, Namine and Olette into a fit of giggles – that is until they see Riku walking besides the, nodding in agreement whilst staring dreamily at the clouds above.

"Uh…Riku?" Sniggers Kairi, leaning in closer to him. Diving out of his thought bubble Riku blushes, a bit scared of the four girls staring intently at him.

"…What? What?!" He questions, becoming rather terrified.

"You faaancy him!" Cheers Selphie, making kissing noises as Riku rolls his eyes and sits down on the grass besides Sora for lunch. Just as Riku's about to pull out his sandwiches, he feels three shadows loom up behind him.

"Why hello Riku," Smirks Kadaj, nudging Riku in the shoulder with his knee, "Boy, do we have some news for you!"

"Which teacher have you driven crazy this time?" Mutters Riku, his family obviously not a great importance in his life, at least – these three weren't.

"Oh, Riku…always the clever one," Laughs Kadaj, bending down so his mouth is ear level with Riku, "It appears, one of our new substitute teachers is a certain…acquaintance of ours…"

The younger teen glances up at his three mischievous cousins with an image of bewilderment on his face, until his gaze falls past the three Year 12's and unfortunately drops on the new substitute, sat amongst the teachers at the open end of the Cafeteria.

"Oh God no…" He drops his head into his hands mournfully as his older cousins laugh and walk off, leaving Riku almost sobbing at the new arrival on the staff.

"Uh Riku…what's wrong?" Ponders Sora, leaning a little closer as his brow ruffles in confusion. Riku's eyes slowly flicker upon Sora's face as he points over to the teacher's lunch table.

"You see the tall…silver haired man, sat at the end?" Murmurs Riku, his hand slightly shaking as all of his friends seem to squint to spot the teacher.

"Oh! He's the new substitute isn't he? He's taking our art lessons this term apparently," Adds Namine, only causing Riku to scream into his palms.

"I see him…what's wrong with him?" Questions Sora, biting off a third of his sandwich and chewing it rather unpleasantly for anyone watching.

"He's my uncle…" The silver haired teen's soft aquamarine eyes watch the piece of half-eaten sandwich, formally in Sora's mouth, shoot out past him.

"Your uncle?!"

"Doesn't that make him Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz's father?" Asks Kairi, a little confused about the new Professor.

"No, he's our other uncle, Kadaj and his brother's father died when they were young. Probably explains why they're so obsessed with their mum…"

Answers Riku, finally able to begin his lunch…that is until a large, big-built figure leaps up behind them.

"Yo kids!!" Booms Barret, Hollow Bastion High's one and only Janitor, surprisingly bad at such an easy job however, even more amazing is the fact that the school remains so perfectly clean…apart from the boys bathrooms of course.

"Hey Barret, how's your summer?" Sora laughs, tilting his head up to see the friendly caretaker.

"It were great thanks…'part from some nosey $#!&'s that broke into ma house!!" Grips his frightfully strong wooden broom, glaring around at everyone, soon laughing at their reactions.

"What happened? Did they steal anything?"

"No," Interrupts Riku, already knowing about this certain event, "seeing as the nosey $#!&'s that broke into Barret's house were my cousins…they got a pretty stern beating apparently…"

"Hell yeah they did!" Cheers Barret, smacking Riku on the back, accidentally rather hard, causing the poor teen to swallow a huge chunk of his sandwich, almost choking as the Janitor doesn't seem to notice.

"Anyway, I'll see you lot later!" Nods Barret, winking and walking off, eyeing up Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz who seem to shuffle away into the shadows at the sight of the heavily built Janitor.

The usual gang of Sora, Kairi, Riku, and Namine begin to eat their lunch, Selphie saying her goodbyes and trotting off to talk to Hayner as she's taken a fancy to him. Unfortunately for Selphie, the blonde rebel already has a girlfriend, Olette, a pleasant spirited girl who usually spends her time with Hayner, Pence and Roxas.

As the group chat and laugh with one another, Sora glances over at the benches scattered around the centre field, each one swarmed with a different group of friends.

His gaze fixes upon a certain few benches, crowded with students as he guesses who's probably at that table. His wonderings are answered as he spots Leon, probably the most popular boy in the school.

With a tall, strong stature and shoulder length dark brown hair, Leon is the rightful Captain of the Rugby Team. However, his throne is rivalled by another Year 11 student by the name of Seifer; the aggressive blonde has had it in for Leon ever since the brunette starting dating Seifer's crush: Rinoa.

The sweet, dark haired girl is also rather popular, especially with the guys. The stereo-typical image of the popular girl is broken in this situation as Rinoa may be rather beautiful, but her personality is the real beauty in her.

"Are Leon and Rinoa still dating?" Asks Sora, turning his attention back to Kairi, seeing as she usually knows the gossip.

"Yeah, they're still going strong…it's so sweet," Smiles Kairi, Namine nodding in response.

"It's like the perfect High School romance isn't it…" Riku and Sora exchange glances as the girls seem to drift off into their own fantasies.

"And Leon is so dreamy…" Namine giggles at Kairi's remark, Sora growing slightly frustrated.

"Don't you think so?" Kairi questions her best friend, Namine merely shrugging and smiling, stroking her hair behind her ear again.

"He's nice…"

"But you've got your sights set on someone else, don't you?" Laughs Kairi, nodding over at Roxas sat laughing with his friends on a separate bench. Namine only giggles and continues to eat, trying to hide her pink cheeks.

"What about you Kairi, have you got your eye on anyone?" Riku questions, Sora glancing over at him in slight confusion, as a smile sprouts over Kairi's face, shrugging her shoulders and avoiding both of their eye contact.

"I might do…"

"Who is it?" Namine leans in closer, eager to find out her best friend's crush.

Kairi grins and leans over to the blonde girl's ear, whispering carefully the name of her crush before Namine smiles and nods her head.

"I thought it was him!"

"Ah! At least we know it's a guy…" Riku smiles, Kairi and Namine laughing as Sora just watches Kairi.

"Why won't you tell us?" He asks, packing up his lunch as dinner time near its end.

"Cause…" She smiles and also packs up her things, ready for their next lesson.

"Cause what? Come on…we're your friends!" Sora pulls a cheesy smile as Kairi tilts her head to the side, smiling sympathetically and patting him on the shoulder.

"Maybe some other day Sora…"

"But - !" The brunette is interrupted by the school bell, signalling the end of lunch and beginning of lesson four.

"Come on, we're got Language next," Riku stands up, pulling Sora to his feet and heading off to North Block for their Foreign Languages lesson with Professor Setzer, a rather odd and slightly eccentric teacher with an especially odd dress sense.

After an hour of staring at Prof. Setzer's clothes and trying to understand what he's saying in any random language, the Year 10's head off to their final lesson of Science, taught by the rather creepy Professor Even.

He spends most of the lesson making coloured explosions and scribbling on his blackboard, in writing so scruffy the students are unable to read it and just mostly mess around in his lesson, and try not to burn themselves on the Professor's experiments.

"Thank God today's over…" Sora sighs with relief, walking with Riku out of the school gates and heading back to their homes besides the beach.

"Just be glad we made it through today without being burnt or having to see my uncle…" Riku shudders slightly, dreading the lessons he's going to have to share with him.

Sora nods in agreement as they head down the streets, many other people walking home from school. As they turn the corner and it's soon just the two of them.

"Hey Riku…who do you think Kairi fancies?" Sora asks nervously, rubbing the back of his neck and glancing up at his taller friend. Riku smirks, his gaze still fixed up ahead of him on the road as he knows Sora is looking rather intently at him.

"Isn't it obvious Sora?" He answers, tilting his head to the side and glancing at him, shifting his bag strap further on his shoulder.

"Uh…Leon?" Riku laughs at Sora's pathetic answer, shaking his head and glancing back at the path ahead of them.

"It's you silly." Sora merely blinks at Riku's comment, his vision so focused upon Riku's face he has a rather unfortunate clash with a lamppost.

The taller teen stares as Sora lies flat on his back, a large red mark on his cheek where he collided with the lamppost.

"Sora?"

"Urgh…that hurt..." He screws his face up in slight agony, as Riku offers a hand to pull him back to his feet.

"What do you mean, it's me?" He ponders, once he's got the ability to walk again.

"I mean, Kairi fancies you Sora…haven't you not noticed?"

"Uh…obviously not," He laughs slightly, shrugging and glancing back up at Riku.

"I thought she always liked you…you're always better than me at everything," Sora comments, his older friend walking slower and glancing down at him.

"Well…maybe Kairi likes you for you…not the comparison of you to others."

"Oh…" Sora drops his gaze to the floor, not really understanding what Riku meant by his last comment.

Noticing this, the silver haired boy laughs, nudging Sora's shoulder and taking up his usual pace home again.

"Relax Sora, you two will be going out in no time…I mean, you like her right?"

"Of course, it's Kairi…I've liked her since we met," Smiles Sora, all their memories together flooding his mind.

Riku grins, placing his hands in his pockets and nodding.

"I know you have, and you deserve to be with her. "

"Well, what about you?"

"…What about me?" Questions Riku, unsure of Sora's remark.

"Don't you like her?"

Sora's older friend shrugs and shakes his head.

"She's always just been a friend, nothing more…nothing less."

"Oh, alright, as long as you're happy!" Riku laughs at Sora's reply, nudging him once more as the brunette ducks and nudges his friend back.

"So…should I ask her out or something?" Asks the shorter of the two, his cheeks fluttering a slide shade of pink as his minds wanders around the thought.

"Hmm…not straight away I think, but you never know…love's a strange thing, anything could happen."

"Ah…alright," Sora smiles, waving stopping outside Riku's house and waving as he continues to walk, once again not noticing the lamppost, giving the bruise on his cheek a friend.


	5. You're A Hero In Disguise

"What happened to your face?" Questions Sora's rather handsome older brother, Cloud.

"I had an accident…" Mumbles Sora, rubbing his cheek and throwing his school bag onto the floor as he slumps down on the comfortable sofa, opposite his blonde brother.

"Aw…is little Sora being bullied?" Sniggers the older teen, giving Sora a rather fake sympathetic smile but is only met by a stern glance from his younger sibling.

"No…I walked into a lamppost…" Huffs Sora, his mind still thinking about what his silver haired friend, Riku, had said on the way home: 'Kairi fancies you Sora…'

The older brother's gaze is trapped on Sora as he bites his lip in a strong effort not to laugh. The brunette rolls his eyes and stares at the floor, slightly aggravated.

"…You can laugh," Mutters Sora, Cloud's sudden and overwhelming laughter echoing through the house as the brunette decides to go seek peace and quiet in his room.

"Ah, ah, aaah Sora…you have chores to do," Chuckles Cloud, shuffling for comfort in the armchair and flicking the remote to turn on their television.

"But – "

"No buts, mum and dad aren't in and I'm in charge…you can start with the laundry, then ironing, then hoovering…oh, and the bathroom's need cleaning," the blonde winks and smirks, "Hope that's not too much for you."

"Cloud…I just got back from school!"  
"So did I, now go little boy, go!"

"I'm not a dog!" Huffs the younger of the two, sitting on the stairs.

"Oh, and Red needs walking to…"

"But Cloud, you gotta do some work too!"

The older blonde sighs and flicks the 'off' button on the remote, standing up and pulling out the ironing board.

"How about you do the laundry and I'll iron it all…then you can clean the upstairs bathroom and I'll clean the one down here, then you can do the hoovering while I take Red for a walk, deal?"

Sora glances up at his older brother, grinning slightly as he knew Cloud was a decent brother sometimes…but rather sneaky at the same time seeing doing the laundry takes several tasks, while ironing you can do whilst watching television, the downstairs bathroom is also a lot smaller than the one upstairs and walking their dog Red is a lot more fun than hoovering the house.

"Well?"  
"Fine…but I want to take Red for a walk!" Demands Sora, positive that Cloud will not pin all the annoying and hard chores on him.

"Alright, alright…but you're still doing the hoovering!" The blonde smirks and shoves the basket of dirty clothes in Sora's arms before the young brunette has a chance to reply to his brother's remark.

--

After an hour or two of housework, Sora's dog Red, a large crimson furred dog, starts to become impatient. Desperate for his walk he pulls his lead off the coat stand, seeing as when he stand son his hind legs he's taller than Sora, and follows the young brunette all over the house.

"Cloud! I'm taking Red out now!" Sora calls, knowing Cloud is sat watching television when he's supposed to be finishing the ironing.

"What about the hoovering?!" Calls the deep voice of the blonde, as Sora has not yet finished his chores.

"Uh…I'll do it after!!" Sora yells back, fixing the lead onto the collar of the eager dog.

"And dinner?!"

"You can make it, bye!" Sora leaps out the door, hurriedly chasing down to the beach so Cloud can't yell at him anymore, and also the fact that Red was strangely wolf-like and an extremely powerful animal, tugging him down to the shore.

"Woah! Steady Red, I don't want another bruise on my face!" Laughs Sora, unhooking the lead from Red's black, leather collar so he's free to roam the sandy beach.

Picking up several sticks, Sora tosses them into the rippling blue waves and watches his canine companion splash around in search for them.

"Heh, seems they must've sunk boy," Grins Sora, but then blinking in bewilderment as Red drags out a large piece of driftwood, sitting before the young brunette with a very satisfied look on his wolf-like face.

"…Where…how…and why in the world did you get that?" Laughs the boy, scratching the tuffs of longer red fur on his dog's head, Red barking in appreciation.

"Hey, Shh! We don't want to cause a fuss with our snoopy neighbours!" Sora sniggers, collapsing back in the warm sand as Red leaps on top of him, his moist tongue grooming Sora's hair only causing the boy to giggle and squirm.

"Red!! Get off of me!! Nooo! It tickles!!" Trying his hardest he manages to force the great red lump off of him, wiping his slobbery cheek with the back of his gloved hand.

"Yuuuck! Dog slobber!!" He laughs as Red sits before him with a rather dazed look, before scampering back off into the waves, "And they say dog's are extremely clever animals!"

The teen watches as his dog sniffs around the sand, his nose poking that of a shell and wedging itself inside then grunting in slight aggravation as the shell becomes stuck on his nose.

"Red! You clumsy fool!" Laughs and pulls off the shell, an angry hermit crab still latched on the poor dog's nose, Sora rolls his eyes and smiles as Red growls and flicks his head towards the sea, the small crab whizzing through the air and landing in the salty water with a 'plop!'

After a few more games of 'Fetch' and 'Let's jump on Sora and slobber on him' (As Sora likes to call it) the young boy pulls out the black leather lead and attempts to hook it back on Red's collar.

Being a rather smart dog, even though Sora may beg to differ, he scampers round the brunette so he has no chance of fixing the lead onto his collar.

"Come on Red, we can't stay out here forever!" Sighs Sora, rather dizzy from watching Red circle him a few dozen times.

The scarlet furred dog seems to pout at his master, his eyes widening at Sora as his lip trembles.

"No! That poor puppy look isn't gona work on me!"

Red barks and flops down in defeat, allowing Sora to hook the lead and connect it with his collar.

"Good boy, I'll give you a treat when we get home...and don't forget to jump on Cloud and lick his hair!" Laughs Sora, Red barking happily and heading to the cobble steps leading back onto the streets and off the beach.

As Red tilts his head to glance back at the waves he pauses, Sora almost tripping when he's yanked back by the wolf-like dog.

"Red! Come on, we're going back!"

Sora's dog barks, his ears wide and pointed to the left as his crimson eyes flicker around the scenery.

"…What is it Red?" Questions Sora, loosening his grip on the lead slightly.

As the brunette seems to catch a glimpse of some movement beyond the trees, a deafening scream pierces his ears and is somewhat recognisable to the teen.

Howling, Red leaps down back onto the beach, heading directly for the trees as Sora's loose grip on his lead allowed him the freedom to escape.

"Red!" Sora hurriedly follows his dog, into the thick palm trees he can hear some deep voices laughing and whimpering of some sort.

Coming to a slight clearing, the tall trees above still shade most of the sunlight as he comes across a few tall hooded figures and what seems like a young person with them, crying and squirming in their grasp.

"Hey! What's going on here?!" Yells Sora, picking up a rock and tossing it in his hand, rather bravely.

The hooded figures turn and snigger, mumbling to each other as Sora hears the words 'pathetic' and 'just a kid.'

"Oh yeah? Just a kid…get 'em Red!"

Out from the bushes heroically leaps the brave-hearted dog, barking wildly and chasing each and every shady figure from the circle of sand within the trees.

Barking proudly, Red scampers back over to the figure left lying on the floor, hands covering their face as Sora's attention is drawn to them.

Pink boots…pink skirt…pink top…red hair…

"Kairi!" Sora skids to her side, dropping to his knees and pulling her up, resting her head on his knees.

"Kairi! Are you ok?!"

Murmuring slightly, the teenage girl slowly withdraws her shaking hands from her face, realising whose voice it is and suddenly throwing her arms around his neck, latching onto him for dear life and sobbing into his shoulder.

"Kairi, thank God you're ok…what happened? Who are those people? What were they doing?" Sora ponders, slowly wrapping his arms around her thin frame to try and comfort her as she begins to dry her tears.

"I-I d-don't…I don't kn-know…" Relieving her head from his shoulder, her gaze drops to the floor as she sniffs, running the back of her hand over her cheeks to wipe away her tears.

"They looked like a bunch of thugs…what did they do to you?"

Sniffing, Kairi glances up at Sora then down at the sand beneath her.

"They…they s-stole my money pouch…" She brings her hand to her neck and shuts her eyes tightly, more tears erupting from them.

"…Grandmother's necklace…"

"Oh Kairi," Sora leans towards her, once again wrapping his arms around her as she cries into his chest, her legs seeming badly bruised.

"Did they hurt you?" Questions Sora, running his fingers over her ankle where it seems swollen and oddly coloured.

"I think I've twisted my ankle…I was running from th-them…and I fell…th-they came after me…and then you…you appeared…thank you Sora," Her arms seem to tighten around the brunette as Red's nose nudges Kairi's bare arm, a delicate silver chain over his muzzle.

"My necklace!" Kairi snatches it off Red, Sora grinning and stroking his faithful dog.

"…It's…it's broken…" The red-haired girl sighs, as Sora picks the necklace from her palm, seeing a definite break in the dainty silver chain, unable to be fixed by his hand. Sliding it into his pocket he helps Kairi to her feet, taking one of her arms over his shoulder as he supports her and leads his dear friend back to his house.

Red carries the rest of Kairi's belongings in his mouth, pushing open Sora's front door as the brunette's too busy helping Kairi.

"Sora, hoovering!! If mum finds out you didn't do it…she'll…" Cloud pauses, walking out of the living room and seeing Sora helping Kairi sit down on one of the kitchen seats.

"What happened? Are you alright Kairi?" The blonde asks, eager for some answers.

"Kairi was…uh, attacked…by some guys in hoods, they stole some of her money and broke her grandmother's necklace," Sora answers, washing some dirt from Kairi's arms.

"Dear God…don't worry Kairi, I'll make sure they get what's coming to them," Cloud kneels beside her, pulling out some plasters from the First Aid box under the table and plastering up the scratches on her legs.

"…And what's coming to them?" Ponders Sora, a little on the slow side.

Cloud rolls his eyes, glancing up at Kairi and grinning in a friendly manor.

"How do you put up with him?"

Kairi merely giggles, a slight shade of red swelling in her cheeks as Cloud grins at her. Even though he was Sora's older brother, a lot of the girls seemed to take a liking to Cloud, his facial features were just so perfect, it was hard not to.

Sora glares slightly as he watches the blonde begin to comfort her, knowing soon enough Kairi will forget he even exists. Thoughts of hatred and stabbing his older brother flood his mind as he exits the kitchen.

"I think it's best if you get home, speaking to your parents would probably make things better…Sora?" Glancing over his shoulder, Cloud sees his younger brother stood behind the coats hanging by the front door.

"…What in the name of arse are you doing hiding behind the coats you tosspot?" Laughs the older brother, watching Sora slowly sink down and walk back over.

"I was being invisible…" Grumbles, knowing Cloud's going to ask him to do some ridiculous chore, probably the hoovering.

"You should take Kairi home, and explain to her parents what happened."

"Yeah, yeah whatever…," Slowly, the information processes in the young boy's mind. "Oh! I mean, alright sure, let's go!"

Grinning, Cloud pats Sora on the shoulder and opens the door as he helps Kairi back to her house, trying to piece together an explanation so he doesn't end up randomly saying: 'Big hooded men, hit Kairi…then dog go BARK! Men run…men bad, Sora good! Sora hero!' The brunette wonders why his mental-self speaks in a caveman dialect.

--

After finally explaining to Kairi's parents what happening, mentally destroying the stone-age man in his mind as he did so, the young teen returns home.

"You did good, I'm impressed," States Cloud as Sora passes the blonde's bedroom in attempt to reach his own.

"Well, anyone would've helped her…it just so happens I was there," Sora closes his bedroom door behind him, slightly confused as to why his older brother was being friendly…and serious at the same time.

Glancing to his right at his bedside cabinet, his phone lights up with his theme tune – 'I get knocked down, but I get up again! You're never gona keep me down!'

Picking it up to answer it, he hears Cloud in the next room laugh and yell.

"Sora, you loser!"  
"SHUT UP CLOUD!"

On the other end of the phone, a rather bewildered Riku blinks from the deafening scream from Sora.

"I'm not Cloud…"

"Oh, Riku! Sorry…my brother was being an idiot…"  
"Surprise, Surprise…so, where've you been? I've been ringing all evening."

Sora flops down on his bed, beginning to tell Riku of the events that had just taken place.

"Woah…I guess, you're a hero in disguise then?" Laughs Riku.

"No, it really scared me though…when I saw Kairi lying there…I was so worried she was really badly hurt. And then when she found her grandmother's necklace broken…it was awful, I felt so bad…" Sora trails off, a sigh escaping his lips.

"Don't worry Sora, if it weren't for you…she might not have even survived."

"Weird isn't it…?"

"What is?" Ponders Riku.

"The day you tell me Kairi likes me, I y'know…"

"Save her life?" Sora laughs at Riku's remark.

"I didn't exactly save her life…it was just, good timing I guess."

"Well, cupid works in mysterious ways…"


	6. Something's Not Right

"Cloud…Cloud…CLOUD!"

"Wah! I'm up, I'm up!" The blonde shoots up in bed, squinting. His fair, blue eyes beginning to focus on his surroundings and adjust to the morning sunshine streaming through the gaps in his sandy-coloured blinds.

Blinking, he soon realises he's alone in his unkept bedroom.

"Huh…?" Flickering eyes bounce off every surface until he's drawn to his flip-up phone, sat on his bedside cabinet.

"Cloud: get up, and then pick up your damn phone!" Yells Zack on the other line, currently lying in his bed and knowing Cloud wouldn't be awake at this point in the morning.

Grinning slightly, he lazily reaches over, snatching up his phone and holding it to his ear, interrupting Zack in his voicemail message.

"Alright I'm awake, what do you want?"

"You've got school today, c'mon – get up!"

"You sound like my mum…" Moans Cloud, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hands and yawning.

"Up, up and at it Cloud!" And with that, his upbeat friend hangs up and leaves the blonde to slowly pull himself out of bed, trudge into the bathroom and shove a toothbrush in his mouth.

Somehow managing to keep his eyes open, he changes. After several tries of doing up his tie and having to switch his trousers round after putting them on back-to-front, he heads downstairs and, surprisingly, finds his dad in the kitchen eating his breakfast.

"What are you doing up Cloud?" His dad ponders, as he is usually out of the house before his two sons get up for school.

"Huh? School today…I'm getting up for it," Replies Cloud, a slight hint of bewilderment in his voice.

"Ok…but school isn't for 2 hours yet…"

The blonde blinks, glancing at the clock hung in the middle of the kitchen wall, which clearly states that it's only just gone 7 A.M in the morning. A light bulb metaphorically appears above Cloud's head, and then shatters as his rage builds.

"ZACK!!"

And somewhere, that dark haired friend of Cloud's is snuggled up in his duvet, sniggering to himself.

After waiting an hour and a half for Zack to appear outside his house, Cloud shuffles out the front door. Once again holding Sora back before he chases across the road without even bothering to check for traffic.

"One of these days Sora…"

"Yeah, sure…see you Cloud!" The younger brother heads off to join Riku, Kairi and Namine on their journey to school.

"And as for you…" The blonde glares down at Zack sat in his black, sports car, his anger-filled gaze met by a cheeky, innocent grin.

"…I couldn't resist," The dark-haired friend shrugs and pats the seat besides him, Cloud rolling his eyes and walking round to join his friend in the car before the drive to pick up Aerith and Tifa.

"How are things going with Aerith?" Questions Cloud, pulling out a slip of paper to check what lessons he has today.

"Great…she's so amazing…" Zack grins, leaning back in his seat as they come to a cross-road and waiting for the green light.

"I hope you haven't…"

"Hope I haven't…?"

Cloud rolls his eyes and raises his eyebrows at Zack.

"Oh! Oh, not, I'm not as shallow as some people y'know – there's more to a relationship then just that Cloud."  
"I know, I know…I was just checking you know that, cause Aerith is a great friend of mine…I don't want to see her get hurt," Sighs the blonde, as Zack grins and nods in understanding.

"Don't worry, I wouldn't do anything that would hurt her…I promise," The dark-haired friend smiles at Cloud, glancing back out at the traffic, "I love her."

"You WHAT?!" Yells the blonde all of a sudden, Zack's eyes widening as he stares at his friend, in slight shock from the sudden shout.

"…What's your problem?!" He ponders as the blonde's eyes flicker off his friend and out at the road.

"GREEN LIGHT!!"

"Huh – WHAA!!" Zack speeds forward, swerving to avoid the cars that he accidentally drove at, random drivers yelling abuse at him as he suddenly comes to a halt down a side road.

"Ok, that's the last time you're getting a lift in my car…and what's wrong with me being in love with Aerith?" Questions Zack, slowing down slightly as he turns down Aerith's road.

"Oh uh…there's nothing wrong with it…just seems like things are moving so fast – too fast even. You know girls don't like it when things move fast, yeah um…it scares them, yup, scares them deeply…you should just break it off before it's too late and she dumps you to go out with some geek called Kevin who lives in his parent's basement as has a lot of baseball cards…" The blonde stutters to a halt, wondering why that name appeared in his head and trying to avoid the fact he's gone completely crimson in the cheeks.

"…Who the hell's Kevin?" Zack ponders, as he stares at his best friend and a grin slowly forming on his lips, "Sometimes I fear you're a little too blonde Cloud…" He laughs as Cloud gives him a stern look but shrugs and sighs with relief as Zack didn't question him about his rant.

--

Sitting down in their first lesson of History, taught by the rather handsome Professor Valentine, Cloud is sat on a table at the side with Tifa.

Rather fortunate for her as Zack and Aerith are on the other side of the classroom, so the dark-haired girl gets a chance to be alone with Cloud.

"Did you know Zack said he 'loves' Aerith? He 'loves' her…it's waaay too early for that sort of commitment don't you think?"

Tifa merely shrugs, pulling out her textbooks and secretly wishing the blonde could talk about something else than her best friend's relationship.

Stepping into the classroom, Prof. Valentine swishes his long crimson cloak off one of his shoulders and holds his hand up to the class.

"Now students, class has begun – quieten down," his husky, rough voice echoes slightly through the bare history classroom. Prof. Valentine wasn't such a strict teacher, but was rather scary if you got him mad so most pupils did as they were told. Then again, this Year 12 class wasn't the best of classes.

"I mean…how long have they been going out?" Questions Cloud, oblivious to the teacher's presence as he continues to drag out his jealousy on poor Tifa.

"I don't know Cloud…I don't care either…" She sighs, glancing at the sorrowful blonde as his attention is fixed upon the couple sat at the other end of the classroom.

"Maybe you should try fixating your sights on someone else for a change…there are plenty of other girls in the class Cloud," Suggest Tifa, as nonchalantly as possible.

"…Like who?"

"Well there's um…there's y'know…," Quickly glancing around the class the clicks her fingers, "Larxene!"

"WHADDYA WANT?!" Comes a loud yell from the feisty blonde sat at the back, glaring at Tifa.

"Oh uh…nothing Larxene…sorry," Grins innocently and turns her attention back to Cloud who merely raises his eyebrows and sighs.

"There's always Yazoo…or Marluxia?" She suggests, shrugging slightly.

"…I'm not gay Tifa," The blonde answers, a hint of confusion in his voice.

"You're not?!" Yells Axel, smacking his cheek and blinking in a very fake manor, Larxene laughing uncontrollably at his joke.

"Mature Axel…very mature…" Replies Cloud, rolling his eyes and resting his chin on his palm.

"Well, the way you lust after Marluxia here just makes me wonder Cloud…" Sniggers Axel, once again flicking his flame-marked lighter in his hand as his pink-haired friend just blushes slightly carrying on with his daisy chain.

"At least I don't need a lighter to try and make myself seem tough and scary Axel," Cloud laughs, Tifa grinning and nodding in agreement as the fiery red head glares and shuts up.

"Anyway…" Mumbles Tifa, "let's change the topic off gay men and fire, shall we?"

"You brought it up," the blonde smirks slightly, sending the dark-haired girl into a slight daze.

"Well…turning back to you and your…um, issue…there is another girl who I know of that likes you…" Tifa trails off, her gaze dropping to the desk.

"You do? Who?"

"Oh no, I couldn't say…I'm sworn to secrecy…"

"Tell me!" Pleads Cloud, becoming rather eager to know who his secret admirer is, "Is she in this year?"

Tifa nods, keeping her head down and pretending to write as Cloud's gaze skips along the heads of the Year 12 students in the classroom.

"I don't know who it would be…please tell me," He leans in closer, Tifa becoming slightly red as she opens her mouth but finding nothing to say.

"Mr. Strife! Please continue with your work instead of pestering Miss. Lockhart!" Orders Prof. Valentine, swishing his scarlet cloak again as the blonde sighs and begins to get to work on his History essay.

Half of the lesson passes by as the class remains silent, everyone seeming to be writing, whereas Axel and Larxene are busy whispering their new song to Cloud.

"He's blonde, he's dumb, he's gay and very proud – his name is Cloooud, his name is Cloooud! He's blonde, he's dumb, he's gay and very proud – his is name – "

"AXEL!" Sniggers erupt from those around him as Prof. Valentine narrows his eyes at the red-haired rebel.

"Shut up and get on with your work, or get out of my sight!"

Axel mumbles to himself and starts writing his History essay, something along the lines of:

'In 1966 something bad happened to some people and then the world blew up and I became King of the Galaxy. The End….and Cloud is gay.'

Prof. Valentine rolls his deep, crimson eyes and continues to grade papers until there's a knock at the classroom door.

"Come in," He calls, glancing over at the door and shooting to his feet as in walks Ms. Crescent, the School's Secretary and Nurse.

"Oh, um…M-Ms. Crescent, what brings you here?" He stutters, his cheeks flushing a deep red as Ms. Crescent greets him with a warming smile.

"Good morning Professor Valentine, you look very well I'm pleased to see," Flicking her hair from her eyes she glances around the classroom as Prof. Valentine looks as though he's about to faint.

"Could," Ms. Crescent fumbles with her documents and pulls out a slip of paper, "Cloud Strife please report to Main Reception at once please, thank you."

Smiling politely she walks out again, Prof. Valentine waving slightly with that dazed expression. Gathering his senses he glances over at Cloud sat very perplexed.

"Well?"

"Now?" Asks Cloud, the other students mumbling that he's in trouble.

"She said 'at once' off you go," Nods the teacher as Cloud gathers his belongings and heads for the door.

"Uh oh…they've found out you're gay Cloud, you're gona get neutered!"

The blonde turns, in fact, everyone turns and stares at Axel, extremely bewildered.

"Um, Axel…do you even know what that word means?" Questions Demyx, sat next to him with the same confused expression.

"Yeah…" His cat-like eyes shift around everyone's faces, staring intently at his. Cloud rolls his eyes and exits the classroom, heading for Main Reception.

--

After enduring a seriously boring lesson of Geography with their teacher Professor Eleaus, who seems to have not quite evolved from a Neanderthal, Axel manages to escape with only one detention.

"Ah…the freedom of break time…now, where's my little friend?" He scans the centre field, no sign of his blonde-haired Year 10 friend. Determined to locate him, he walks over to Riku and grabs him by the shoulder rather roughly.

"Hey, where's Roxas?" The silver-haired teen merely blinks.

"…Which one are you again?"

"I'm Axel, I'm in the same year as Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz, they are your cousins and you're friends with Sora, whose cousins with Roxas…so, where is he?"

"..."

Axel rolls his eyes and sighs, becoming more annoyed.

"Just, where is he?"

"I don't know…he and Sora were both asked to go to Main Reception during First Period…why?" Questions Riku, pulling his shoulder from the red head's grasp.

"That's weird, Cloud was asked to leave at First Period too," Adds Demyx, slightly confused as to what is going on.

"They're all related…that must mean something's not right…" Riku suggests, a bit worried as he's surrounded by troublesome Year 12's.

Just as Axel and his friends are about to leave, Kairi and Namine bound over, the blonde girl in tears.

"Namine? What's wrong?" Asks Riku, extremely concerned as Axel glances over his shoulder to see what's going on. Kairi sighs, her arm around Namine as she looks sorrowfully up at her friend.

"Riku, it's Roxas' dad…he's died."


	7. An Abrupt Goodbye

"Axel, where are you going?!" Yells Larxene, grabbing the red head's arm as he runs for the school gates.

"Where d'ya think?!" He yells, leaping over the orange, brick walls and running down the street.

Marluxia, Demyx and Larxene stand in shock, watching the flame-red hair disappear out of sight as Axel heads for the hospital.

"…W-What happened…exactly?" Asks Riku, trying his best to not let his emotions get the better of him. Kairi sniffs, pushing her red-hair from her eyes and continuing to comfort the crying Namine.

"C-car accident…on his way to w-w-work.." Unable to hold it any longer, Kairi bursts into tears, sobbing against Namine's shoulder as they hug.

Sighing, Riku puts his arm around them both, not really knowing what he should do next. The weight of the news bearing down on his shoulders as he feels he's not strong enough to cope.

"…I can't even imagine how Roxas must feel, all of a sudden…he's lost one of the people he holds dearest to him…having to say such an abrupt goodbye…"

--

Panting, heaving and wincing – Axel arrives at the hospital. Barging through the doors he slams his fists down on the Reception desk, the little lady sat behind jolting and blinking through her spectacles.

"Where…is…" He drops his head, inhaling and exhaling deeply as he struggles to get across what he wants.

"…Axel?" The somewhat recognisable voice comes from the waiting area. Quickly glancing over he sees Cloud, sat with his family, all seeming quiet and still.

"Cloud?" He squints, but then rushes over, his eyes widening, "Where's Roxas?!"

"I don't think that – "

"Where is he!?" Axel demands, the receptionist attempting to 'Shh' him but is only met by a stern glance.

"Second floor…third room on the right…" Sighs the blonde, his arm wrapped around the thin frame of his spiky-haired brother as Sora sobs into his jacket.

Without another word, the red-head sprints to the elevators, hastily slamming his fist against the button.

"C'mon…c'mon!!" He yells, unable to wait he slams his shoulder against the stairwell door and leaps upstairs as he takes two, sometimes three, steps at a time.

Skidding through the door he almost slips on the shiny white floors, counting in his head the number of rooms until he spots Roxas' mother sat outside one.

Her long blonde locks covering her face as she cries into a tissue, the sudden death of her husband seeming like the end of the world for the fragile woman.

Since he could remember, Axel had been welcomed into Roxas' family – ever since they were children, they were friends.

When Roxas learned to walk, Axel was there by his side holding his hand. When Roxas first rode a bike, Axel was there taking off his stabilizers. When Roxas first lost his teddy bear on a carnival ride, Axel was there buying him another one.

Despite the age difference, they were the best of friends, ready to sacrifice so much for one another, it almost leads to the point of suicide.

As Axel kneels down besides Roxas' mother, she glances above her tissues, her formerly blue eyes bloodshot from the tears. Opening his arms he hugs her for comfort, Axel would've stayed there so she wouldn't be alone, as she was like a mother to him too.

Having the fondest memories of her always inviting him round to play with Roxas, letting them both off the hook for naughty tricks, allowing them to eat ice-cream in Roxas' room, and even giving them extra pocket money for when they wanted to go out.

Letting his arms slowly lean her back in the seat, he glances across the hall at the hospital door adjacent.

"…Is Roxas…?" He whispers, the blonde mother giving an affirmative nod before Axel stands up and heading for the door.

Feeling a slight pressure on his wrist he glances over his shoulder, back down at Roxas' mother.

"…Thank you," She sighs, sniffing again and letting his arm go.

Axel merely smiles and walks up to the door, taking in a deep breath and turning the handle slowly before stepping inside and letting his cat-like eyes fall upon his best friend.

Closing the door silently, his heart sinks at the sight of Roxas kneeling besides his father's bed, sobbing into the sheets as his dad lies lifelessly before him.

Quietly, he steps closer up to the bed. His gaze falls upon the face of Roxas' deceased father – so calm, so peaceful…as if, even though he may not have been ready to leave this world, to leave his dear wife and son…that he's not angry that his time came, not frustrated that he had to part with his family and friends and, despite what people may think of Axel, he very much respected that.

Without a word, he knelt down besides the sandy-haired boy. Gently, he ran a hand up Roxas' back and rested it on his shoulder, his fingers gently adding slight pressure as a sign to know he's there, Axel's there to comfort him.

Sniffing, and blinking, the younger of the two begins to pull his face off the bed and tilting it to face his best friend, knelt beside him.

The red-haired friend lifts a finger and runs it underneath Roxas' eyes, wiping away his tears and attempting to heal his sorrow.

With a jolt, the younger teen's arms latch around Axel's neck, as he sobs into the older boy's white school shirt. Without a care, the red head coils his lanky arms around Roxas' stick-like frame, rocking slightly back and forth to ease the pain in both their minds and hearts.

After what seems like forever to the boys, Axel eventually stands, his back aching from the position they were in.

Carrying the smaller boy in his arms, he sits down on the second bed in the room, facing Roxas' father.

"…A-Axel?" Whimpers the sandy-haired boy, still resting his head against Axel's chest.

"Yeah Roxas?"

"…I…I m-miss him…"

Sighing, Axel squeezes Roxas gently, resting his cheek against the blonde boy's spikes.

"Me too Roxas…me too," grazing his fingers up and down the boy's bare arm, he leans back against the wall slowly, and attempts to make sense of the words rounding up in his head.

"I think he's happy though…he's happy because he knows we'll never forget him," feeling Roxas' head shift to look up at him, Axel sighs and, for once, allows what's truly in his heart to escape.

"Death…is merely just another stage in life…it's like, when you finish Primary School, you don't forget what happened, you don't suddenly become non-existent to everyone you knew while you were there, you have memories…those memories, no matter how stupid, hurtful, or amazing…will always remain with you…and, I guess, so will those of the people you knew.

So, even though we may never see him again, doesn't mean he's not there…or that we should lose those precious memories of him…" Axel remains slightly surprised at his own words, but knows that what he's saying it true, honest and full of every emotion he intends to fill it with.

"I remember some great things about your father…and bad things too, like how he would never let us stay awake past midnight?" Roxas chuckles slightly, tears dripping down Axel's shirt from the younger boy's deep blue eyes.

"But, I'll always remember one certain memory…the greatest memory I will ever have of him, and I will never, ever forget…"

Roxas leans away slightly, able to see his older friend better.

"…Wh-what memory is that?"

"It was 4 years ago, when I was 12…I was going through some difficult stages in life and I had ran away from home. Packed some food, clothing, a blanket and some other things…I was on my way. Back then…I thought I was on my way to freedom, to do whatever I liked, but now…I realise, I would've died if it wasn't for your father."

Blinking, Roxas leans back against Axel's chest, listening intently to his story.

"I was waiting at the bus stop for a bus, any bus, out of the town. That's when your dad walked past on the street. He stopped and looked at me, spotting my belongings in a bag he immediately knew what I was planning and he sat me down on a bench besides him.

At this point, I was in tears because I assumed that he'd yell and drag me home…but he just patted me on the shoulder and told me the greatest advice I've ever heard: 'Axel…even though at times, the world may seem a dark and scary place, you should never lose sight of one little thing, do you now what that is? …Hope. Hope is what guides people who think they've lost everything. You may believe you want to run away from home, because you're upset or fed up…but you should always have hope. You never know what's just around the corner, do you?

He smiled, and that was it. I ran, I actually ran, back home and I've never thought about doing anything like that again…cause I've got something, something precious…"

The sandy-haired boy glanced up, his brow ruffling slightly as he sniffs once more.

"…What've you got?" Grinning down at his best friend, Axel almost laughs at his question.

"Hope, Roxas…hope."

The younger teen smiles and nods, hugging Axel once again and then glancing over at his father lying so peacefully.

"Do you think…no, never mind…" Roxas trails off, dropping his gaze to the floor.

"No, go on…what?" Asks the red head, lifting the blonde's chin up with his finger.

"Do you th-think that…he's, he's proud of me?"

Axel blinks, the voice of Roxas' father almost speaking in his mind, just the way he used to sound. 'Roxas, I will always be proud of you…' Grinning and nodding, the older teen answers.

"Of course…he'll always be proud of you, no matter what…I know it."

--

Spending what must've been an hour in that room, Axel walks back out into the corridor as more of the family arrive, going in to say their goodbyes.

Cloud and Sora's parents walk inside, Sora following, before he glances over his shoulder at his older brother.

"Are you coming?" He questions, the blonde stopping to see Axel sat outside the room.

"I'll be a minute…" The brunette nods and walks inside, leaving Cloud alone with the red head, who slowly places his gaze on the blonde.

"What?" He whispers, his eyes slightly red from tears he had wept.

"You had no right to be yelling downstairs, or to barge in here either!" Cloud yells, finally letting out some of the anger that had been building up inside.

"Oh, and what would you know Cloud?"

"I know that you shouldn't even be here! You have no relation to my uncle, you're just using him for an excuse to get out of school!"

The fire in Cloud's tone of voice is mimicked in Axel's eyes as he rises to his feet, glaring at his classmate.

"How dare you say that…how bloody dare you…" His voice low and sinister, almost spitting at the blonde.

"It's true, isn't it?!"

"NO! Of course it isn't!! That man was like a father to me!" Screams Axel, pointing to the door of his room.

"Oh yeah, here comes the predictable speech. I wonder what your real dad would say to this you pathetic little – "

"I don't have a real father!" A single tear crashes down from Axel's cheek, the blonde coming to a sudden halt as he blinks in confusion.

"I don't have parents Cloud! I was abandoned when I was a baby and put into care, I'm a bloody orphan!! Roxas' dad's part-time job was working at the care-home I was living in, he helped raise me and that's why I knew Roxas since he was a child – happy now?!

You've got the real explanation why I'm here, so just shut the fuck up when you think you've got everything all figured out when you don't know the slightest thing about me!"

"Axel I – "

"I don't care, I'm outta here!" And with that, he runs down the corridor and down through the stairwell, leaving Cloud stood in complete shock.

Guilt slowly encircling his mind as he drops his head into his hands, regretting every word he'd mentioned to Axel, but knowing he'd probably never gain the forgiveness he needs.


	8. More To Her Than Meets The Eye

Two weeks had passed since the death of Roxas' father. Sora and Cloud had returned to school, but their blonde cousin was still no where to be seen in the school grounds.

The fiery Year 12 boy had been skipping many days over the last fortnight, with even his friends not knowing the official reasons for his absences.

It was 5 minutes to 3 o'clock on a Wednesday, and Sora was sat eager to leave school and their dreadful Art lesson.

Sat besides him was his silver-haired best friend, currently banging his head against the table as their Art teacher this year was his uncle – Professor Sephiroth, who apparently takes his older cousins, Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz, for their Music lessons.

"Riku…he's not that bad y'know…" Sighs Sora, trying to whip up some confidence or slight happiness in Riku's own little world.

"Not that bad? Every single time I open my mouth he – "

"RIKU SHUT UP!" Glares the teacher, slamming his metallic ruler down on their workbench and glaring at his depressed nephew.

"See what I – "

"RIKU! I WILL NOT TELL YOU AGAIN!"

The teen sighs, resting his chin on his palm and staring at the desk with the urge to slam his forehead down on it once more.

"Oh…I see what you mean, must be tough being yelled at every time you – "

"SORA! YOU TOO WILL GET A DETENTION IF YOU DON'T STOP TALKING!" Commands the Prof. his silver-hair swishing behind him as he strides to the other side of the classroom, his expression seeming to calm as he comes across Namine's sketches.

"Why Namine, these are magnificent…"

Riku's face contains an expression of: 'What the hell?!'

Enduring what seems like torture in the last 5 minutes, the two best friends dive for the door as the bell rings, not even paying attention as Riku's Uncle yells after them.

"Finally!" Praises Riku, dropping to his knees and basking in the afternoon sunlight, "Freedom!"

His brunette friend laughs and pats his shoulders, heading to the school gates, but pausing and glancing over his shoulder.

"What is it?" Questions his older friend, brushing the grass off his trousers.

"Oh…I just wanted to give Kairi something, I forgot to do it earlier…" Mutters Sora, rising up onto his tip-toes to try and spot his red-headed friend.

"Give her what? A kiss?" Teases Riku, leaning his elbow on his shorter friend's shoulder and glancing around, aiding Sora in his search.

"No!" Laughs Sora, playfully shoving Riku off of him and stopping Namine as she passes by, "Hey Namine, have you seen Kairi?"

"Uh…no, she's gone to a Math's catch-up lesson, didn't she tell you?" The blonde girl blinks, smiling sweetly at them both.

"Oh, no…she didn't," Shrugs Sora, fumbling around in his pockets.

"Why is she going to a Math catch-up lesson, she's really smart…guess she just wants to see Professor Hunky right?" Winks Riku, the brunette rolling his eyes but smiling and turning his attention back to Namine, who's busy packing her sketches back into her school bag.

"Well, will you see her later today?"

"Hmm, I probably will do…is there something you want?"

"Yeah, could you give her this?" Sora pulls out a long silver chain from his pocket, a red pendant attached to the end. Placing it in Namine's palm, Riku's eyes flicker from the piece of jewellery to his brown-haired friend.

"You bought her that?" He questions the younger boy.

"What? Oh, no I didn't buy it…it was her grandmother's, y'know that I said those thugs on the beach broke it?"

"Oh right yeah, so, you fixed it?"

"No I didn't fix it myself…I got one of those professional jewellers to do it," Nods Sora, Namine blinking and peering down at the silver chain.

"But, doesn't that cost like…1000 Munny?!" Asks Namine, Riku blinking in slight shock as his best friend nods.

"…What?"

"Sora, that's really sweet!" Grins Namine, clutching the necklace carefully.

"It is?" His deep blue eyes jump from Riku to Namine as they nod in unison.

"That's a hell of a lot of money Sora…where did you get it from?" Ponders Riku, folding his arms as he squints slightly at his younger friend, wondering whether he's telling the truth.

"It was my money…I'd been saving up for a computer in my room, but this means more I guess…and why are you looking at me in that way?" Leaning back away from his silver-haired friend, Sora cowers slightly as Namine giggles.

"Riku!" He yells, laughing and shoving him as the older teen chuckles and stops staring down at him.

"Sorry, but Namine's right Sora…that was really nice of you, she'll be all over you in no time, " He winks.

"What? No! I don't want her thinking that this means I want her to go out with me…she was just really upset, and I know how much this means to her…"

"Sora the Noble…"

"Riku…"

The silver-haired boy laughs as Namine waves goodbye to them both and walks back in the opposite direction to her home, an idea suddenly popping up in her head.

"Wait, Sora!" Clutching her school things she runs back up to Sora and Riku, pausing and tucking her loose hair behind her ear once more, "If you see Roxas, could you tell him I hope he's alright and that I really would appreciate it if he rang me or something – just to see if he's alright, I really miss him…"

"Uh, sure Namine, I'm sure he'll back to school soon anyway," Grins Sora, Riku nodding in agreement.

"Thanks Sora, see you," With another sweet smile she heads back to her home.

"She really likes him huh?" Sora says to Riku on their way home, the silver-haired teen nodding.

"Yeah, she can really relate to him…seeing as she's lost a parent too."

"Hmm, I guess you're right…you would never guess she's had such a difficult past from the way she acts."

"True Sora, I think with Namine…there's more to her than meets the eye."

Despite her pleasant existence, Namine has suffered just as much as Roxas in her life, with the death of her mother at a very early age and a serious accident almost claiming his father's life and leaving him bound in a wheel-chair, she spends a lot of her time doing all the work parents would usually do for their own children.

Cooking, cleaning and her own school work, somehow she manages to look after her father at the same time. But the high-spirited little blonde doesn't get upset so easy, and always looks on the bright side of life, searching and successfully finding something good in almost everything she comes across.

After her usual routine of cleaning one of the rooms and putting the dinner in the oven, Namine picks up the phone and dials Kairi's home number.

Putting the phone on louder speaker, she places it down on the kitchen cabinets so she's able to begin chopping the carrots.

"Hello?" Comes a voice from the other line.

"Hello, it's Namine calling for Kairi, is she home yet?" She asks politely, starting to dice the orange vegetables.

"Namine? It's me, Kairi," Giggles the red head on the other line, currently sat on her bed and pulling her shoes off.

"Oh, you sound older on the phone – silly me," Chuckles the blonde, sliding the pieces of chopped carrot into a pan and beginning to chop turnip.

"Do you want to meet up later? I've got something I need to give to you."

"Oh! What is it?!"

"Wait and see Kairi! So, how about half 6, on the beach?"

"Hmm, yeah…I think I can make that, by the paupo tree?"

"Of course," Grins Namine, adding the diced turnip to the pan and beginning to heat them, "I'll see you then."

"Bye!" Kairi hangs up, partially excited as to what Namine has to give her.

"Dad, dinner's ready!" Calls the blonde teen, setting out the two plates of food on the table as her father rolls in.

"Smells delicious sweetheart, what have we got for tonight's dinner then?" Grins her father, wheeling up to the side of the table and picking up his knife and fork.

"Chicken breasts with carrots and turnip, and gravy," Smiles Namine, sitting down opposite her father and beginning to eat.

Finishing rather quickly, she places the dishes in the sink that she'll wash later as her father wipes down his mouth with his napkin.

"That was perfect Namine, your cooking is just as good as your mother's," He runs a hand through his blonde locks and adjusts his glasses slightly.

"Really?" Blushes the young girl, always idolising her mother seeing as her dad is always telling her wonderful stories about her mum, and how she was such a caring and gentle lady.

"You become more and more like your mother everyday, you've got her gorgeous, big blue eyes but you've got my blonde hair," He chuckles as Namine smiles and blushes slightly at the compliments.

"Thanks daddy, do you mind if I go out? I'm supposed to be meeting Kairi on the beach."

"Of course, just be back before it gets dark, ok?"

"Alright, thank you!" She grins and picks up her little white satchel, sliding it over her shoulder as she kisses her father on the cheek, slipping her sandals on and heading out the door, down to the beach.

Leaning against the paupo tree on a separate little island, a slight way out from the beach, Namine sits and waits for her best friend as she checks she has the necklace from Sora with her.

"Namine!" Calls Kairi, waving and jogging over as she hugs the blonde girl, hopping up onto the trunk of the paupo tree.

"Hey Kairi, how was that Math's catch-up lesson?"

"It was good, Professor Ienzo is so dreamy…" They both giggle as Namine hops up beside her best friend, both staring out to sea.

"Oh, you said you had something for me?" Asks Kairi as the blonde girl nods and roots through her bag, pulling out the silver necklace.

"Oh my God…" Kairi reaches over, picking up the chain and admiring it, blinking in shock, "Namine…how did you…?"

"It wasn't me, it was Sora."

"Sora?"

"Yeah, he gave this to me today to give to you, he got it fixed for you." Tells Namine, as Kairi blinks and smiles slightly.

"He fixed it?"

"Well, he got professional jewellers to do it, and he paid 1000 Munny to get it done!"

"1000 Munny! Seriously?!"

Namine nods as Kairi fixes the necklace around her neck, running her fingers over the crimson pendant dangling from the chain.

"I can't believe he did that…"

"Well Kairi, I guess he really does like you," Smiles Namine.

"Heh, I suppose…I just don't want to rush into things, me and Sora have been best friends since I moved here as a child…I don't want to do anything that'll ruin our relationship, if you understand what I mean."

"Of course, I understand completely…you don't want to risk going further and ruining what you already have."

"Exactly," Kairi sighs, still amazed and not really believing what that plucky brunette has done for her.

"You have got to admit it though, what he did was really sweet…maybe he wants you two to be more than friends as well," adds Namine.

"I suppose, he's really sweet…and so cute too," Kairi giggles, as her best friend hops down from the tree.

"He is, you should really value your relationship with him…you two would be really cute together," Smiles the blonde, checking the time on her phone.

"Well, I best be off, I need to get some shopping down for this week before dad wants me home."

"Alright, see you tomorrow Namine!" Waves Kairi as the blonde girl heads off into town to get the essentials for her and her father.


	9. Anything But Sex Ed

"Bye daddy!" Quickly kissing her father on the cheek, Namine hurries off the school, clutching her school bag with her sketch pad tucked under her arm as she jogs into the school grounds.

Due to her need to get there on time, her sense of balance is slightly off as she trips against the pavement, dropping her school bag.

Just in time, a hand clutches the blonde girl's arm and another on her waist, blocking her from falling as Namine stumbles into her mystery hero.

"I wouldn't run in sandals if I were you," Chuckles the figure, helping Namine back onto her feet.

"Yeah, I'll remember that," Giggles Namine, bending down to pick up her school bag and sketch book, standing back up and glancing upwards.

"Roxas!" Namine cheers, throwing her arms around the sandy haired boy and dropping her school bag once again.

"Uh…hey Namine, " Smiles Roxas, slowly wrapping his arms around her and squeezing her smaller frame slightly as a light shade of pink swells in his cheeks.

"How've you been?"

"Well…I've been better really," Shrugs the boy, Namine sighing but hugging him tightly once more.

"I've really missed you…"

"Thanks Namine," He smiles, letting her go and kneeling down to retrieve her school items for her as she tries to cover the blush spreading over her cheeks.

Smiling, they both walk into the school grounds, sitting down on the fountain wall, until they are bombarded by a certain group of people.

"Roxaaas!! Where you been?!" Laughs Hayner, pulling his friend into a head-lock and giving him a rather bruising nugie.

"If I were you, I would've gotten more days off school," Cheers Pence, patting his friend on the shoulder as Olette smiles and nods.

"But we really missed you, how's everything going?"

"Ok really…I missed you lot too," Grins Roxas, after pushing Hayner off of him and straightening out his clothes.

"Hey, have you heard about the camping trip?" Asks Pence as they head off to their first lesson of the day: Science.

"What camping trip?" Ponders Roxas, a bit behind on the school schedule.

"There's a camping trip to this woodland place for the Year 10's, cause we did so well in our tests last year."

"We did?" Laughs Hayner, busy doodling on the back of his hand.

"Well…maybe not you," Pence suggests as Roxas, Namine and Olette laugh at his comment, the shorter boy receiving a powerful glare from Hayner.

"Aw, be nice to him…it's not his fault he's not as smart as some people," Grins Olette, patting the blonde haired rebel on the shoulder who smiles slightly at her.

"Anyway, are you lot going?"

"I am," Replies Olette as Hayner nods also.

"Any excuse to get outta school for a week will do me!"

"What about you Roxas?" Pence asks as Roxas merely shrugs in reply, not seeming to enthused about it.

"Aw! C'mon, it'll be fun...miss a week of school, and it's free!" Pleads Pence as Olette nods in agreement.

"C'mon Roxas, it won't be the same without you…well, ish…"

"Gee, thanks Hayner, " Laughs Roxas, nudging his friends slightly before sighing and shrugging once more.

"I just don't really feel up to it, y'know?"

"Shame, I'd really like it if you went with us Roxas," Smiles Namine, finally joining in with their conversation. The sandy haired boy turns to see her, welcomed by her smile as he grins himself.

"…Alright, I'll go."

"Sure, you go when she asks!" Huffs Hayner, the rest of them laughing before entering the science lab.

As Roxas takes his seat, he notices half the class either smiling or waving at him, obviously happy he's back. Sora, currently sat besides him, pats him on the shoulder, grinning widely from ear to ear.

"Hey, welcome back!"

"Thanks Sora, what's been happening while I've been gone?" Questions Roxas, pulling out his science exercise book and scribbling on the front cover.

"Not much…Professor Braig almost got fired for blowing up half the technology block, um…Professor Saix apparently had a giggle fit in the middle of assembly when Professor Xemnas said that this school needs to be 'whipped into shape' …err, oh and our new art teacher is Riku's scary uncle." Sora grins, Roxas' brow ruffling in slight confusion.

"Yeah…that's really 'not much'…"

Sora merely shrugs, glancing over at the door as Ms. Crescent walks in with Prof. Even. The class all exchange glances as Prof. Even clears his throat, placing a box on his desk at the front of the room.

"Good morning class, today we're having a rather different lesson, um…" He fumbles with his ice blue tie and glances over at Ms. Crescent. "Ms. Crescent can tell you more…"

Walking to the front of the class, the school secretary smiles and claps her hands together.

"Welcome everyone, now today – I'm going to be taking your lesson, accompanied by Professor Even. Now, you're all young adults now and there are certain things you all need to know." She smiles, picking up some chalk and beginning to write on the black board, still talking about something along the lines of 'the facts of life.'

"Oh God no…" Riku drops his head into his hands as Sora blinks, leaning closer to the silver haired teen and whispering.

"What's wrong?"

"Can you not tell?!" Complains Riku, Roxas sighing and rubbing his forehead, obviously knowing what's going on.

The brunette continues to blink, completely oblivious to what's going to happen in this rather special science lesson.

"…Urgh, anything but Sex Ed…"

"SEX ED?!" Yells Sora, his eyes suddenly widening as everyone's gaze sets upon him, the poor teen turning a deep shade of red and dropping his gaze to the floor.

"Eheh, yes Sora, today we're going to be learning about sex and many other topics to do with sexual education and young people," Nods Ms. Crescent, the entire class falling silent and shuffling uncomfortably in their seats.

"Before we begin, I'd just like to tell everyone now that they do not need to share any information they don't want to, and please do not laugh or tease anyone about anything we discuss today."

"Yeah Hayner!!" Laughs Pence as he receives a vicious punch in the shoulder from the blonde haired rebel.

"Now class, calm down – ok, let's start with sex."

"Does anyone have anything sharp I can impale myself on?" Riku mutters to the guys sat around him, a somewhat funny arrangement with all the girls on one side and the boys on the other.

Roxas chuckles slightly and pats Riku on the shoulder sympathetically as Ms. Crescent starts talking about 'feelings' and 'desires.'

The girls sit and giggle at quite a few things, Selphie seeming raring to get involved and answer the questions with the most random of answers. Namine and Kairi seem to keep to themselves and glance over at the boys, seeing Sora rather intrigued by the talk and Riku seeming to be screaming into his hands in distress.

"Cheer up Riku, you'll be glad you know this someday…" Sora shrugs, pulling Riku's hands from his face.

"I already know all this!"

"…You do?...How?" Questions Sora, rather taken aback.

"…How do you not?!" Laughs Riku, amazed that this is his best friend's first real glance at sex.

"Well…I guess I just never…" Shrugs and trails off, glancing back at Riku who just rolls his eyes and turns his attention back to Ms. Crescent.

"Now, safe sex is one of the most important things you need to know about. Soon enough you're all going to be having sex and you don't want to catch or transmit sexual diseases, or get someone pregnant – "

"But Miss, what if we don't have enough money for a condom?" Laughs Hayner as the class chuckles under their breaths, Sora blinking.

"What's a condom?" The brunette asks, the girls giggling as the boys roll their eyes, Riku sat wide eyed before dropping his head into his hands.

"No….no one can be this stupid…not even Sora…"

"Well, a condom is a piece of rubber that covers the man's penis when he's having sexual intercourse to stop transmitting disease, being infected with a disease or impregnating a woman."

"…oh," The teen rather regrets asking as Riku is still in denial that his best friend was that oblivious to all this.

"Now, we should all practice how to correctly put on a condom, girls as well as boys, so Prof. Even if you don't mind – could you hand out these bananas?"

Prof. Even's eyes widen as he slowly picks up the box of bananas and hands them out to everyone, unable to hide his embarrassment.

"Would you mind giving me a hand with this one too Professor?" Ms. Crescent asks politely as she hands him a banana and passes condoms around the class.

"Ok, now be careful not to tear the actual condom, just rip the edge of the packet off and pull it out," She does so as she's talking, Hayner just ripping his out and flinging it at Pence's head.

"Ow…" Flings his back, and soon enough – a condom fight breaks out. Pupils yelling and screaming as it's girls vs. boys in this contraception war, they duck behind the desks for cover as pieces of rubber are tossed about.

Pence soon becomes bored and begins eating the bananas.

"Class…please calm down, class!" Remaining surprisingly happy, Ms. Crescent fails to retrieve the pupils attention, that is until Professor. Even is hit in the eye with a rogue condom.

"THAT IS ENOUGH! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!"

"A condom fight, what does it look like?" Replies Riku smirking, ducking as a test tube is shattered into the wall behind him.

"PROFESSOR!" Yells Ms. Crescent as the annoyed science teacher storms out of the class, the door slamming shut and a dozen condoms being fired at it.

After another half an hour of condom fighting, the dismissed Year 10 class escape from their detention as they hold a complaint that a teacher tried to kill a student, as Hayner puts it.

"He didn't try and kill Riku," Laughs Olette as Hayner tells them what he had just told their head teacher Ansem.

"YES HE DID!!" Yells Hayner, half laughing and half angry as he wants his statement to hold true.

"Gee, thanks Hayner…" Riku grins, patting his fellow classmate on the back as he was apparently 'trying to be killed' by Professor Even.

"I already have one teacher after me…I don't need another one…"

"You do?" Questions Pence, as they walk to English.

"Yeah…my uncle…" Groans slightly as he thinks about that nightmare of a teacher.

"Oh, he's our new Art teacher isn't he?" Asks Roxas, not so sure as he's been off the past few weeks.

"Yeah, he's really nice!" Grins Namine as Riku stares at her, stopping dead in his tracks. Roxas grips the blonde girl's hand and continues to walk with the others.

"Careful…he might decide to throw condoms at you," Whispers the sandy haired teen to Namine as she giggles.

"I don't throw condoms at people!!" Complains Riku, jogging slightly to catch them up.

"Oh sure, so it wasn't you who mercilessly attacked the teacher…" Laughs Roxas as Riku glares slightly and glances over at Sora who remains rather innocent and blushes.

The silver haired boy merely laughs and throws an arm around Sora's shoulder, the brunette blinking in slight confusion.

"Poor little Sora…becoming a man is a big leap for him."

The younger of the two glares playfully at Riku and pushes his arm off his shoulders.

"I'm already a man!"

Kairi, Namine, Olette and Selphie giggle as the guys laugh, Sora taking it quite offensive.

"I am!!"

"Suuure…" Laughs Hayner, nudging the smaller brunette in the shoulder.

"You can't talk Hayner, you use girls' deodorant to make people think that tons of girls have been all over you!" The blonde haired rebel stares as the other boys try and hold in their laughter, failing miserably.

"That's it, I'm so gona – "

"As for Pence, he sleeps with a pink dinosaur teddy." Sora adds, as Pence blushes slightly, avoiding the gaze from the girls as the guys hoot with laughter.

"You shouldn't be laughing Riku, you once told me you had a crush on Mickey Mouse. And as for Roxas…actually, he's not so bad, apart from when him and Axel used to play as Barbie and Ken."

The group stand astounded by Sora's knowledge, the girls erupting in a fit of giggles as the guys stand embarrassed, watching Sora smirk and walk into the English classroom.

"…Mickey mouse? Seriously?!" Roxas questions Riku who glares.

"BARBIE AND KEN?!" He yells at his best friend's cousin.

"….Touché."


	10. Shut Your Mouth  There's A Train Coming

Just before he enters Professor Luxord's English lesson, Roxas spots Marluxia, Larxene and Demyx messing around by the drink machines, obviously deciding to skip their next lesson.

Jogging over, the sandy haired boy steers clear of Larxene and walks over to Demyx.

"Hey Demyx, um…where's Axel?"

"I don't know, he hasn't been in for the past two weeks…" Shrugs the punky Year 12.

"Yeah, we haven't seen him since the day you weren't in, and there was that problem or something…what happened exactly?" Questions Marluxia, leaning against the drinks machine to block the security cameras from seeing Larxene steal some drinks.

"Oh um…my dad kinda, err….passed away," Sighs Roxas, rubbing the back of his neck rather nervously as even Larxene stops her mischievous antics to glance down at him.

"Oh…I'm really sorry to hear that, I'm guessing Axel was close to him?" Marluxia sighs, a rather sympathetic look on his face as Demyx fiddles with his tie, extremely uncomfortable with the current situation.

"Yeah…"

"That's why he randomly legged it over the fence and ran down the street," Adds Larxene, biting her lip slightly as Roxas nods sadly, trying to hard to forget what had happened that day.

"Hey Roxas, we're really sorry about that…we had no idea," Demyx pats him on the shoulder as he glances up at them, realising they aren't as scary as most people assume.

"It's alright, I wouldn't have expected you to know anyway," Offering a small smile he resumes the previous conversation.

"So, you haven't you heard anything from Axel?" Roxas continues, sighing as the Year 12's shake their heads.

"Sorry kid, not even a text message from him…"

"Alright, thanks anyway," Grins slightly then heads back to his English lesson, sneaking in without being spotted by their British teacher: Professor Luxord.

"Poor kid," Sighs Marluxia, "I had no idea about his dad…I just knew something bad had happened…"

Demyx nods in agreement as Larxene hands them both bottles of lemonade stolen from the drinks machine.

"So, no one has any idea where Axel is?" The blonde haired girl asks, walking over to a shadowed corner and leaning back against the wall.

"Nope…I haven't seen him at all, I just thought that he was skipping school cause he was bored again…" Shrugs Demyx, joining Larxene in the shadows when they were supposed to be in Prof. Highwind's Engineering lesson.

"Maybe there's an actual reason this time, might be something to do with Roxas' dad," Suggests Marluxia, sitting down on the grass.

"Could be…"

"Are you kiddin'? Axel's just pissing about as usual, he'll be back at school soon," Larxene adds, glancing over to the teacher's cafeteria and finding two frightful eyes staring right back at her.

"SHIT!" Snatching Demyx's sleeve and kicking Marluxia's foot, she dashes around the corner as Prof. Sephiroth glares and strides over.

"Oh holy hell!" Yells Demyx, pushing Larxene out the way to run around the back of North Block, Marluxia slowing rising to his feet and watching the teacher approach.

"Damn he's fine…"  
"MARLUXIA!!" Screams Demyx and Larxene in unison as they each grab a wrist and yank him behind the building, as the silver haired Professor draws closer equipped with his metallic ruler.

"Dude, are you gay or something?" Larxene glares at her pink haired friend who just shoots her a look of 'Well duh!'

"He's been gay since we met him," Adds Demyx, Marluxia nodding in agreement.

"He came out to his parents when he was 12," Continues the brown haired Year 12.

"Yes, thank you Demyx…" Sighs Marluxia, but his best friend continues.

"He used to have a crush on Axel and everything!"

"HE WHAT?!" Screams Larxene, Marluxia glaring at Demyx.

"I never fancied Axel!!" He argues as Demyx shrinks between his two friends.

"Whoops…my mistake…um, hey Professor," Waves slightly as Prof. Sephiroth stands before them all, smirking as he has them cornered.

"Well, well, well….what do we have here?" Grins the teacher.

"We were just – " Larxene is silenced as the metallic ruler is slammed against the brick wall, screeching loudly.

"I suggest you silently come with me," He turns and heads towards the Head Teacher's office, the three Year 12 students gulping and following.

"This is your fault…" Hisses Larxene at Demyx, who blinks innocently.

"I didn't do anything!"

"SILENCE!" Calls the Professor in front, clutching his ruler tightly as he orders them to take a seat outside Ansem's office as he walks inside.

"…Do you reckon he actually uses that thing to hit people?" Questions Demyx once the teacher is out of earshot.

"I wouldn't mind if he used it on me…" Grins Marluxia, straightening his tie up as his two friends stare and slowly roll their eyes, shaking their heads.

"Marluxia…you need to get a girlfriend…desperately," Larxene receives a slight glare from the pink haired teen and groans slightly, "boyfriend then…"

"Uh…Larxene? …Why did you get so angry when I said that Marly fancied Axel?"

"I didn't get angry!!" She yells, Marluxia rolling his eyes and mouthing for her to keep it down.

"Yeah you did…and you're doing it again now – "

"No I'm not!!" Shouting at Demyx, the two boys suddenly stare upwards behind her, gulping slightly.

"What now?!" Glancing over her shoulder, Professor Sephiroth glares and points into the Head Teacher's office.

"In – now!"

Nodding in unison they scurry inside, hanging their heads in shame as the door is closed behind them.

"Marluxia…Demyx…Larxene…it's been a while since I last saw you," Ansem sits down behind his desk in a rather large ornate seat.

"You saw us yesterday," Larxene interrupts, muttering the word 'jackass' under her breath.

"Yes, that was sarcasm…now, where is Axel? He's usually with you on your weekly, or daily as I should say, trips to my office?"

"He's not in Sir, he hasn't been in for the past two weeks," Replies Marluxia, a rather polite student when he wants to be.

"Oh, I see. Anyway, you are once again here for your failure to attend lessons, is that correct?"

"Yeah…" Mutters Larxene, noisily chewing gum.

"Yes Sir," Ansem corrects her with the appropriate answer.

"No need to call me 'Sir'…" Replies Larxene, Marluxia and Demyx sniggering under their breaths as Ansem sighs and stands up, shaking his head slightly.

"What ever happened to you four?" He sighs, scratching his forehead.

"There's only three of us," Adds Larxene, Ansem rolling his eyes.

"Yes I know that, I was talking about Axel as well," Sighing again, he continues, "You all had great futures ahead of you. Demyx, you were such a talented musician, and still are! Marluxia, you were such a polite and intelligent student and you still have the potential to go far. Axel used to be quite the young gentlemen, and is able to still act like one. And Larxene, you…" He trails off slightly as she folds her arms and raises an eyebrow.

"Well?"

"You are…um…yes, anyway – what I mean is, you can still become the brightest students in the school's history if you just put your mind to it!"

"Maybe not Larxene…" Adds Demyx, Marluxia chuckling as Larxene glares, but slowly shrugs and nods.

"He's got a point…"

Ansem sighs and sits back down, desperate to slam his head down on the desk with frustration.

"Alright…off you go," He gives in, the three Year 12's glancing at one another then leaping for the door. Smiling innocently and sweetly at Professor Sephiroth before sliding out of the corridor and onto the field.

"As if he just let us go!" Laughs Demyx, sitting down on the bench along with his two friends.

"I know, I mean…" Marluxia trails off as Professor Sephiroth strides past, glaring at them all and continuing towards West Block, looking as though he's going to tread on the children running past him as it's break time.

Glancing over at the water fountain in the centre field, he spots his nephew and sends him the extra special glare he saves for those he really despises.

The poor silver haired teen receives said glare and almost chokes on his crisps in shock, Sora staring in bewilderment as Riku ducks behind the bin.

"Uh Riku…what're you doing?" He questions as his best friend's head pops up slightly to see him.

"Oh y'know…just hiding…"

"From?" The brunette raises his eyebrows in confusion as Riku nods over at his uncle, striding past, " Oh…I see."

After a rather smooth day, with lessons of Business Studies, Maths and History, the group of year 10's head for the school gates.

Kairi and Namine linger back for a second as the red haired girl whispers something to her best friend. Nodding, Namine smiles and runs over to Sora and Riku.

Gripping the silver haired boy's wrist, she smiles.

"Hey Riku, could you come here for a second? I need to ask you something," Grinning she pulls Riku aside for a moment.

"Uh ok…" Is too slow to reply as he's already being dragged away from Sora, "What is it?"

"Oh y'know…um, ok this is just a distraction so Kairi can just speak with Sora for a second," Namine admits, laughing slightly as Riku laughs and pretends to talk with her.

"Sora! Wait up!" Calls Kairi, jogging over to reach him as she smiles and glances over his shoulder, Namine giving her the thumbs up and also stalling Roxas, Hayner, Pence, Olette and Selphie.

"Hey Kairi, you alright?" Grins Sora, pausing and turning to face her, leaving his back facing the other Year 10's.

"Yeah um, I just wanted to thank you," Smiling, she tucks her hair behind her ear and keeps her eyes upon Sora as he blinks, slightly confused.

"Thank me? For what?"

"This," Kairi pulls out her grandmother's necklace, the one that was formerly broken by the gang of thugs and was repaired by Sora.

"Oh! Well, it was my pleasure," Nods the brunette, incredibly happy that she's no longer upset.

"Thank you so much, it was really sweet of you to do this, I owe you…"

"No, you don't owe me anything, it was my pleasure, honest – "

He would have continued to say that she didn't need to mention it, that is if his lips weren't interrupted by something else.

Leaning up on her tip-toes, Kairi gently presses her lips against Sora's. The brunette blinks, slowly closing his eyes and feeling his face almost burning with shock and embarrassment of the sudden kiss.

Clutching his arm, Kairi's hand squeezes it gently and slowly breaks their kiss, just able to give him one last look in the eye before smiling and blushing uncontrollably.

"See you Sora," Waves slightly and hurriedly walks out of the school gates, still grinning like a Cheshire cat.

Dazed, shocked and bewildered, Sora remains stood perfectly still, staring at the spot where Kairi had stood, his jaw slowly dropping in amazement.

Laughing and cheering breaks the silence, as from behind Riku, Hayner, Roxas and Pence leap on Sora. Ruffling up his hair, patting him happily on the back and rather brutally punching his shoulder (in Hayner's case) they cheer as the brunette still stands frozen to the spot, his jaw almost hitting the floor.

"Shut your mouth – there's a train coming!" Laughs Riku, waving a hand in front of Sora's face to try and snap him out of his day dream.

"WOO! Sora's had his first kiss!! AHAHAHA!!!" Cheers Hayner, as he grabs Sora in a head lock and roughly rubs his knuckles into his head.

"Careful Hayner, Sora's all smushy, what with all that luuurve!" Chuckles Pence, as Roxas laughs along side him.

Pushing Hayner off of him, Sora finally comes to his sense and glances at the four boys stood blinking in front of him, and only manages to say one word.

"Woah…"


	11. The Home Of Dunkin' Donut Fun

Drifting through his front door, Sora pauses in front of the hallway mirror and stares at his reflection with that same rather cheeky smile plastered on his face.

"What's with the face?" Asks his older brother Cloud, stood leaning against the lounge door frame, glancing at Sora in the mirror, "You look like you're on drugs…or Riku snogged you."

The smaller brunette smiles slightly, then shakes his head when the blonde stares rather worried at his reaction.

"It wasn't Riku…and it wasn't a snog," He answers, picking up his school things and heading upstairs still unable to remove the grin from his lips.

"Ah…so, first kiss with Kairi?"

Sora smirks and just keeps walking, his brother nodding as he realises that's the reason.

"Right, well I'm going round to Zack's anyway, tell mum I'll be back for tea…probably…later!" Yells Cloud up the stairs, grabbing his black leather jacket and heading out.

Climbing onto his motorbike, the blonde revs the engine and speeds out of the drive way, heading rapidly down the street towards his best friend's house.

Pulling up outside the large beach-side house, Cloud jumps off, parking his motorbike slightly in Zack's drive as the dark haired teen is sat outside on his doorstep.

"It's a big bike…" He grins slightly as the blonde leans against it smirking.

"Oh, I know."

"Are you compensating for…'smaller goods'?" Questions Zack, laughing loudly as his friends only replies with a smouldering glare.

"Anyway…what the hell are you doing sat in front of your house? Admiring the view?"

"…I forgot my keys…" Cloud chuckles at his best friend, rolling his eyes and walking over.

"And you call me the blonde!"

"Yeah but…that's cause you are blonde…" Replies Zack, grinning cheekily when his friend rolls his eyes once more and takes a seat besides him on the doorstep.

"So…" Zack breaks the silence after a few minutes, Cloud nodding in reply as his sky-blue eyes follow the cars as they travel past on the road adjacent.

"Yeah….hey, do you know someone who likes me?"

"Likes you?" Questions Zack, slightly confused by the sudden question.

"Yeah…as in has a crush on me."

"A crush? …On you? …Have you been drinking?" The dark haired friend laughs once more as he receives yet another menacing glare.

"I don't even know why I'm friends with you…"

"Cause we've been best friends since we were this high," Holds his hand up, rather close to the ground,

"Zack, we were never the same size as gnomes..."

"Well…you were," Zack chuckles and grabs Cloud's arm, pulling him back down besides him as he attempts to leave, "I'm only messing with you, it's just hilarious to see your reaction!"

"So, what happens if I call you a spiky haired moron?" The blonde becomes agitated as his friend just laughs once again.

"That's a pathetic insult…you should try calling someone a fried egg and they'd give you the same reaction!"

"Alright…so what's a good insult then?" Questions Cloud, receiving a cheeky grin as his best friend goes through about 30 of the weirdest insults ever.

"What the hell is a shirt fuzzler?" Yells the blonde, the two of them in tears from laughing so hard at the many crazy and bizarre names.

"I don't know! I think I said something about bin bags as well," he sniggers, trying to recall one of the random insults.

"Uh…oh! A bin bag penguin…" They stare at each other before collapsing in more laughter.

Around half an hour later, they take a break from laughing to regain their breath and to give their stomach muscles a much needed rest.

"So um…what were we talking about?"

"Oh, uh…oh yeah! I was wondering if you knew someone that fancied me…cause Tifa says there's a girl in our year who has a crush on me…any ideas?"

"Um…Larxene?" Replies Zack, his brain rather dead from a 'challenging' school day, as he puts it.

"No…not Larxene," Glares Cloud, certain it's not her.

"Well maybe it's….oh…" The dark haired friend nods and smiles, realising who it is.

"Oh? Oh what? Do you know?"

"Enough questions…and don't you realise?" He watches the blonde stare vacantly at him before chuckling slightly and rolling his eyes, "poor girl…as if you haven't realised."

"Tell me who!"

"No! You've got to figure it out for yourself…I'll give you a hint though, you already know her," Replies Zack, standing up to stretch his legs.

"Ok, I already know her…hmm…" Sighs and stands up also, "I haven't the faintest idea…"

Laughing, Zack pats Cloud on the back reassuringly.

"You'll realise soon…and you'll want me to kick you when you do."

Shooting another glare at his friend, they head into town as sitting on a doorstep all afternoon is rather pointless.

Passing a few familiar faces from Year 12, the two friends head into a donut shop waiting in line as Zack roots through his pockets.

"Um…you have some Munny…right?" He grins innocently as the blonde rolls his eyes and fortunately pulls out a few spare Munny coins and counts them, stepping up to the counter as they are greeted by a rather familiar voice.

"Hi and welcome to Larry's Donuts – the home of Dunkin' Donut fun. How may I help you?"

Glancing up, the two Year 12's stare at their fellow classmate. With fiery red hair scruffily shoved underneath a large donut hat, and two flicks of dark make-up on either cheek.

"…A-Axel?" Cloud stutters, elbowing Zack in the ribs who's already lost control and is howling with laughter.

The red head stares, suddenly glowing red with embarrassment and glaring at the darker haired customer who's almost on the floor, dying of laughter.

"ZACK!" Cloud yells, kicking him slightly as he turns his attention back to Axel, knowing he really should not make fun of him after their last encounter.

"…Why are you working here?

"Why the hell do you care?" He narrows his eyes at the blonde, who sighs with the weight of guilt still remaining on his shoulders.

"Well, how come you've been skipping days at school? We haven't seen you for the past two weeks…"

"None of your business, now what do you want?!" He yells, disturbing many of the customers as Cloud sighs, grabbing Zack's shirt and dragging him out of there.

Returning to Cloud's house, seeing as Zack has no keys, they walk into the kitchen and begin rooting through the cupboards for something to eat.

"So…why in the world does Axel work at Larry's Donuts?"

Zack only shrugs at Cloud's question, sitting on top of the kitchen counter and eating a bag of crisps. Just about to ask another question, the blonde and his friend are joined by Sora, Riku and Roxas as they walk into the kitchen.

"Hey Roxas, did you know Axel's working at that cheesy donut place in town?" Asks Cloud, rather eager to find out the reason behind it.

"Axel? You saw him?" Roxas replies, sitting down at the table with Riku and Sora as they join Zack in eating their never ending supply of crisps.

"Yeah…he was in Larry's Donuts when me and Zack went there just before…he's still an angry little – "

"Now, now Cloud there are children here…mind your language," teases his dark haired friend as young Sora pulls his tongue at Zack and continues to shove handfuls of crisps in his mouth.

"Larry's Donuts? The home of Dunkin' Donut fun!?" Questions Riku, Sora sniggering slightly as his silver haired friend smirks at the cliché of it's slogan.

"No…I didn't know he worked there, what time does it close?"

"Um, five maybe? Same as all the other shops probably…" Cloud replies as Roxas grabs his coat and heads for the door, "Oh and, how's your mum?"

He asks before the sandy haired boy leaves, obviously concerned as it is his aunt.

"She's alright I guess…but you can't expect everything to go back to normal so soon…" Sighs Roxas, heading out the door and grabbing his skate board, arriving outside Larry's Donuts.

Jumping off his skateboard and tucking it under his arm, he pushes against the door to find it locked. He sighs, glancing from side to side as many of the street lamps begin to flicker on and no sign of traffic around.

Giving up, he sadly begins to skate home, his hopes of seeing his older best friend once again shattered. Rolling along the pavement, the eerie yellowish glow from the street lamps dance across his face and then cower in shadow as some bulbs fail to light.

Not really concentrating on his current path, his vision dropped to the dull grey slabs below, it was inevitable that Roxas would accidentally skate into a pedestrian walking by on the pavement.

"Hey! Watch were you're going you little brat, you could've…" Axel pauses in his sentence, staring down at the sandy haired boy knocked off his skateboard and sitting on the ground looking right back up at him.

"…Roxas? What're you – "

He's interrupted once more as his younger friend leaps up and latches his arms around him in a tight hug. Blinking in slight confusion, Axel slowly wraps his own arms around the Roxas' smaller frame.

With only the dim buzzing from the street lamp besides them, all was quiet until the red head's ears pick up on a low whimpering sound.

"Roxas…are you crying?"

Receiving no verbal reply, but hearing a sniff from the younger boy, Axel sighs and pulls out of the hug. Gripping Roxas' shoulders gently, he crouches down slightly so his cat-like eyes are directly opposite the teary blue's of his friend.

"What's wrong?"

Rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand, Roxas seems to refuse to tell him at first but soon opens his mouth slightly with his gaze to the side.

"…I've been feeling so alone lately…and I really needed someone to talk to, to really tell them what's going on with me and to know that they'll listen…I've only ever talked to someone in that way with you and…and…you haven't been there…" He trails off to a halt as Axel's eyes widen, completely oblivious to how Roxas had been the past two weeks.

"I'm sorry…truly, I am…I had no idea…I guess I was just too caught up in my own life," Sighs the red head, another tear crashing down from his friend's cheek onto the icy cold street pavement below.

"Wh-Where have you been?"

"I moved out of the care home, and bought my own apartment…that's why I've been out of school. I've been working so hard cause I really needed the Munny…"

"…Why did you leave?"

"I guess…I just wanted to be able to stand on my own to feet, I no longer have your dad to help me grow up…cause I am grown up now, just like my brother…I needed to get out…"

"B-but Reno was 18 by the time he left…and he lives with his friend anyway…"

"I know, I'm sorry – I really should have told you…come on, let me take you home." Standing back upright, Axel walks back to Roxas' house with him.

Taking him inside and apologising to his mother for the late arrival, he says goodnight as his young friend heads off to bed.

"Hey Roxas, I'll see you on Monday…alright?"

"Um, well…I'm going on a camping trip…so you probably won't actually…" Sighs the sandy haired teen, sitting down on the stairs.

"Oh…I'll see you when you get back anyway," Winking, the red head apologises to Roxas' mum once again and heads out, returning back to his apartment.

--

Before he knew it, Roxas was sat on the large coach parked outside of school, a rucksack by his feet with Pence sat besides him, offering lollipops to everyone.

Glancing out at the window, he catches the reflection a girl sat in the seat behind him. Leaning around as much as possible, he sees Namine and Kairi sat talking and giggling to one another.

Turning back around and refusing a lollipop from his tubby friend, the coach jolts slightly as it begins to head off on the two hour long journey to the camping grounds.


	12. Great Bum!

"Come on Roxas – sing along with us!" Cheers Pence, him and most of the coach singing along to the radio to the song 'The Witch Doctor,' one of Pence's favourites.

"Sorry Pence…but I'm feeling slightly travel sick…" Sighs Roxas and within a blink of an eye Pence has leaped from his seat onto Hayner's lap opposite.

"HEY! WHADDYA THINK YOU'RE DOING YOU PUFF?!" Screams Hayner, causing the Year 10's to screech with laughter as Pence is kicked off the blonde haired rebel's knee.

"R-Roxas was gona throw up on me!" Complains the tubby teen, standing up and sitting down on the spare seat besides Hayner.

Rolling his eyes, poor Roxas leans his forehead against the cold window, mumbling to himself as he watches the flashes of green in the fields beyond said window.

"Feeling sick?" Comes a delicate voice besides him, as he turns his head slowly he sees a young blonde girl sat besides him and smiling warmly. "I always get sick on coaches…try one of these."

"Um, thanks Namine," Roxas attempts a smile and takes one of the tablets from her palm, swallows it and smiles in appreciation.

"Don't worry, we'll be there soon anyway…and the fresh air will do you good," She smiles, trying to comfort him as best she can.

"Yeah, you're right…thanks…" Smiling, he sits up properly and begins talking with her, that is until they are disturbed by three wandering mishaps.

"SIR! LOZ IS GONA THROW UP!" Complains Kadaj, running up and down the coach and yelling at the teachers as his fellow brother sits, rather pale in the face, rocking gently back and forth.

"He'll just have to wait – or throw up in a bag," Replies the very unenthused Professor Xemnas.

With dull silver hair, a lot shorter than Prof. Sephiroth's, Prof. Xemnas is the Religious Studies (R.S) teacher and is, obviously, hated my many students due to his strict teachings.

Although, many rumours about Professor Saix, the Astrology teacher, have been floating around that he has taken a liking to the R.S teacher. That may be one reason why he opted to join the Professors on the camping trip, seeing as most of the sane ones knew that it was not the brightest idea ever.

"…Why are Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz on this trip anyway? I thought it was for Year 10's," Questions Roxas, Namine shrugging before Riku pops his head up from the seat in front of them.

"Apparently, the three of them have to be kept an eye on by my uncle, and seeing as many of the stricter teachers are on this trip they had to tag along…" Sighs the silver haired teen, shrinking back into his seat and trying to trip up Kadaj as he runs around the coach.

"Oh…alright then…but that doesn't explain why Reno and Rude are on this trip either," Roxas asks again, this time being answered by the red haired man himself.

"Me and Rude are here to keep an eye on you lot…seeing as you're a pesky little bunch, the teachers wanted some extra supervision!" Reno states proudly, glancing off into the distance whilst trying to gain an aura of wisdom around him.

"…More like the teachers didn't trust you back at the school," Roxas corrects as the two Year 13's shrugs and nod slightly retaking their seats at the front of the coach.

Within two hours they have arrived. Stepping off the coach and glancing around they see nothing but grass…and more grass.

"Uh…is this really the place?" Questions Sora, Roxas shrugging at his cousin and walking over to the back of the coach to retrieve his luggage along with everyone else.

"Where's my bag?" Roxas tries to spot his black bag amongst all the other rucksacks. A couple of the girls have brought small suitcases, and people like Hayner have just brought a shopping bag with underwear inside.

Finally managing to push his way through the crowd, he spots the handle of his bag and begins pulling. Shifting a few other bags out the way, something of a bright red colour becomes visible underneath.

With a final heave, Roxas pulls out his bag and finds a spiky red-head clinging on to the other end of it.

"WAH!!" He screams, dropping his bag back down and hearing an 'Oof!' from underneath.

"What is it?!" The teachers huddle around the startled Year 10 who eventually regains his senses.

"Uh…a bear, yeah…I saw a bear…" The many eyes fixed upon him squint slightly as the teen doesn't seem so bothered about what he supposedly saw.

"There it is again!!" He yells, pointing over Professor Saix's shoulder towards a small woodland area; everyone else turns around or screams in Prof. Saix's case.

Grabbing his bag and rapidly yanking it out along with the red head, he darts around the side of the bus panting.

"Thanks Roxas…"

"What the hell are you doing here Axel?!" Complains the younger teen, his eyes wide as he stares up at his older best friend.

"I uh…wanted to see you…"

"You're gona get in SO much trouble for this!"

"Yeah…I'm sorry, I should just tell the teachers and take the coach back…" Sighs the red head, scratching the back of his neck guiltily and turning away, only to find a hand gripping his elbow.

"…Thank you" Whispers the younger teen, Axel turning back around and smiling before ruffling up his friend's hair.

"See! I knew you'd be happy to see me!" With a wink the red head is dragged back round and ducks behind all the Year 10's as Prof. Xemnas begins his mandatory speech.

"Welcome everyone, this is the Year 10 camping trip and – HAYNER PAY ATTENTION! – and we'd like to start off by just going over some basic rules…"

After one excruciatingly boring hour, they soon all begin to set up their tents. Riku successfully puts up his and Sora's tent while the brunette lies down in the grass and swats flies off his nose.

Hayner is busy guarding his shopping bag from the pesky silver-haired trio while Roxas and Pence sit under their tent, it having fallen down for the fifth time that afternoon.

Kairi, Namine, Selphie and Olette sit outside their large tent happily, whispering and giggling to themselves as they watch the 'men'.

"Come on Roxas, Pence…putting up a tent isn't a difficult task," Laughs the smooth, deep voice of Professor Ienzo. Walking over, the girl's conversation hushes to a pause as they stare in wonder at the handsome Math teacher.

"Grab either corner and just follow my lead," He smiles reassuringly, eventually getting Pence and Roxas to co-operate and peg up the tent.

"See, wasn't so hard was it?" Laughs the dark haired Professor, the two boys shrugging as Riku jogs over.

"You only just got your tent up? I did mine ages ago…all by myself…" Smirks the teen as Pence glares and Roxas rolls his eyes, half expecting the proud rant from his cousin's best friend.

"Well done Riku," Grins the teacher, patting him on the shoulder approvingly.

"It's a huge tent too!" Riku adds, folding his arms proudly.

"Y'know what they say…you can always judge a man by the size of his tent," Laughs Prof. Ienzo before clapping his hands and raising his voice.

"Alright Year 10's! We're about to head off for this afternoon's activities! Please make your way over to the Camping Headquarters where the teachers are!" He smiles and walks back over towards the one building on the field, winking at the girls as he passes by.

After a chorus of swoons from the Year 10 girls, they zip up their tent and follow him to the Camping HQ, unable to tear their gaze away from his backside.

Suddenly being joined by Sora and Riku, the older teen rolls his eyes as the girls blush furiously.

"Have any of you got better things on your mind then Prof. Ienzo's arse?" He laughs slightly as the four girls simply shake their heads and giggle, "I can just imagine you lot writing down in the end of year teacher report, under comments – great bum!"

Sora chuckles to himself as the girls merely shrug and nod along, gathering at the side of the coach. Glancing over his shoulder, he sees his cousin coming out of the tent and what looks like, talking to a tree.

"Um, Riku…what is Roxas doing?" His silver-haired friend blinks and turns around to see Roxas, who seems to be yelling at a tree.

"He's…made a new friend…" Blinks Riku, his eyes suddenly widening as he realises the tree has red spiky hair.

"…Is that - ?" Riku throws his hand over Sora's mouth to shut him up before the teachers hear about the stowaway passenger on the camping trip.

"Roxas! Stop fooling around and get over here now!" Yells Professor Xemnas, Professor Saix busy doing a head count and becoming confused as Hayner runs to the end of the queue to add extra numbers to the count.

"Huh? Oh, yes Sir!" Roxas hisses at Axel to stay put in his tent then he runs over and squeezes in between Sora and Pence.

"Alright, is everyone here Saix?" Questions the R.S teacher as the pupils snigger to themselves.

"We seem to have five extra then we had to begin with…" He answers, cowering away as the silver-haired teacher glares at all the students.

"Let me do it!" Booms Mr. Wallace, the Janitor – who thankfully came along to drive the coach and bring some humour to the teacher's tent.

"Don't worry Barret, we're all here," Grins Namine, the hefty Janitor 'Awwing' at her polite manner and signalling for them all to hop on the coach.

"Which teachers are coming with us?" Calls Professor Xemnas, eyeing each and every one of the teachers.

"I'm going!" Professor Braig raises a hand and drags his fellow friend, Professor Dilan, out with him.

"Alright, we need three more!" He calls, Professor Ienzo nodding and stepping onto the coach and smiling as he receives a cheer from all the girls.

"Two!"

Riku's tall, silver-haired Uncle smirks and steps onto the coach, before shoving Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz on with him.

"And one more…" Seems rather surprised as Prof. Saix races onboard along with himself leaving on Professor Valentine and Ms. Crescent alone at the Camping HQ, along with Reno and Rude of course…

Having enduring another bumpy, over the speed limit, coach ride – Loz has to rush off in order to vomit off of the vehicle.

Stepping of the coach, and waving bye to Barret as he speeds off to find a Donut Café, they glance up at the Tourist Centre and see a cave exhibition.

"…We're walking around a cave?" Questions Hayner, completely unimpressed as Prof. Ienzo pulls on his grey, slim fitting jacket.

"Cheer up lads, it's really dangerous in there…full of bats and sharp rocks, where loads of miners have died…" The Year 10 boys exchange glances and pelt it into the queue for the Cave Tour.

"Aww, it's all boy rubbish…" Sighs Selphie, folding her arms and pouting slightly.

"There's a gift shop," And Prof. Ienzo laughs as the girls are soon quick to follow the boys.

Hard hats on, walking boots on, Prof. Xemnas' eyes firmly on Hayner – they're off to go.

As it's a rather large class, they have their own private tour with a female tour guide, although most of them are busy chatting than listening to her ramble on about rocks and mud.

Sora and Riku at the front with Prof. Saix and Prof. Xemnas, followed by the girls in the middle with Prof. Ienzo, busy flirting and giggling. Roxas, Hayner and Pence are nearer the back with Prof. Dilan and Prof. Braig, and finally Kadaj, Loz and Yazoo trudge along behind with Prof. Sephiroth.

Walking through thin tunnels and winding pathways, they reach some slippery stone steps and begin climbing.

Still wearing her no longer white sandals, Namine looses her balance and slips backwards, crashing down against the rocks.

"Namine!" Fortunately being directly behind her, Roxas leaps forward and catches her, whilst Professor Ienzo leans over and stops Roxas from crashing down onto Pence.

"Good catch Roxas!" Laughs Pence, clapping as the sandy-haired teen blushes slightly and helps Namine back to her feet.

"Thanks…again, heh…you've made a habit out of saving me," Smiles Namine, gripping his hand tightly as they continue up the stairs, the girls all complimenting Roxas on his heroism.

"Roxas always gets the girl…" Sora sighs, Riku chuckling and patting his friend on the shoulder.

"Well then, maybe you should make a move with Kairi…she did kiss you after all," Riku whispers the last comment, careful so the girls don't over hear.

"Yeah but…how exactly?"

"Sora, I'm not going over how to kiss someone…"  
"I know that! I just mean…how, well…when?"

Riku shrugs as they come to a large underground cave, a few lights scattered about to cast an eerie glow on the rock face around them.

"Now, if everyone would like to follow me onto this platform here," Smiles the tour guide, leading everyone deeper into the cave and stopping, turning to face them all, "Ok, we're going to turn the lights off so that you can all see what it was like for the old miners down here…is that alright?"

The teachers nod in approval and Riku nudges Sora with his elbow.

"Now's your chance!"

"Huh?" The brunette blinks.

"Kiss Kairi when the lights have gone out, trust me – she'll love it," Riku winks and pushes Sora over to where Kairi and Namine are, following him and standing besides him.

"…Are you sure?" Riku rolls his eyes and nods, the tour guide clearing her throat about to flick the switch, "Hey…Kairi?"

"Yeah Sora?" She smiles, glancing at the teen as the lights suddenly blink out, a silence falling on everyone.

The brunette blinks, realising he can't see anything – not even his hands in front of his face. Stumbling forward slightly, he stretches his arms out to try

and feel his way around.

Sensing someone stood besides him, he grins, blushing slightly and suddenly leans in, kissing them gently on the lips. Feeling the figure jolt back slightly, Sora smiles, realising they were not expecting it.

Pulling away and wandering off, he bumps into another figure, and hears a familiar voice. The lights switch back on and Sora is smiling widely, stood besides his cousin as he hears giggling from the group around him.

As they head back down the same route they came along, Sora clutches Riku's wrist and chuckles.

"I did it!"

"Well done Sora, you're now a man! And it seems that someone must have my genius too…"

"…What do you mean Riku?" His older friend laughs and replies.

"I was kissed as well, but…I wonder who it was?"


	13. Short And Sweet

After a lot of yelling, laughing and flirting – strangely all coming from Professor Saix – the group are led out of the cave, discarding their miners outfits and slumping down on the grass outside the Tourist Centre.

"So Sora, what was it like? I'm guessing short and sweet like it should be," Questions Riku grinning, as he sits down besides him on the pathetic excuse for a lawn.

"…What was what like?"

"The kiss - duh," Rolling his eyes, the silver haired teen raises his knee and rests his elbow on top of it.

"Oh! Well…she obviously didn't know as she jumped when I, y'know, did it…" Riku only sniggers slightly at Sora's never ending immaturity.

"When you kissed you mean. Sora, you're in Year 10, you're 15 almost 16, time for you to...mature…sexually…" Raises an eyebrow as Sora just blinks cluelessly at him.

"Who needs to mature sexually?!" Hayner bounces down between the two best friends and stares from one to the other, knowing that out of the two of them it would most likely be Sora who needs to mature. "Aww, poor Sora – not getting any, hey?" With a wink from their rebellious friend, Riku rolls his eyes as Sora doesn't seem to take it with the best attitude.

"Hayner you can't talk – you swallowed one of those chocolate flavoured condoms…" Riku adds in defence for the young brunette.

"That was an accident! ACCIDENT!" He yells before stropping off with his arms folded.

"What're you guys talking about…?" Roxas inquires; wondering over with Namine after their conversation was disturbed by Hayner's loudness.

"Just something Hayner did."  
"The condom that ended up in his stomach?" With a nod from Riku and a snort of laughter from Sora, Roxas nods and rolls his eyes.

"Hey kids! Le's go!" Calls Barret from the just-arrived coach causing Prof. Xemnas to glare until all the students drag themselves onto the bus, tired.

Once more they endure Barret's 'skilful' driving, as he puts it, until they reach the camping grounds again and trudge off the bus in the now dim sunshine.

"When's dinner?" Pence drones, rubbing his stomach as it gurgles for attention.

"We'll sort out everyone's dinner in a second, let's just sort out what supplies we have," replies Prof. Ienzo in a relaxing tone, all the girls simply nodding in agreement and swooning uncontrollably.

Roxas heads over to the Camping Headquarters with Namine by his side, when he spots Reno and Rude staring in through a small, dusty window with an expression of pure mischief on their faces.

"Uh…Reno?" The sandy haired teen blinks as Reno only replies with a finger to his lips and continues to stare.

"RENO AND RUDE GET DOWN FROM THERE THIS INSTANT!" Bellows the silver haired R.S teacher, the two of them sniggering and scampering down to stare at the door to the Camping HQ as Prof. Xemnas goes to enter it.

"One of these days those two idiotic Year 13's will be – " His hand gripped firmly onto the door handle as his jaw practically smacks the floor, joined by a fit of laughter from Reno, Rude and eventually the Year 10's as they see into the small building.

"PROFESSOR VALENTINE!" Cries the R.S teacher as the dark haired Prof. Valentine himself scrambles off of the table and off of Ms. Crescent – his cheeks now the same shade as his crimson cloak. With a girlish giggle from the school's secretary she stands up too, straightening out her skirt and blouse before hanging her head in shame as the teachers all begin to rant on about indecent exposure. Most of the students just continue to laugh, Reno and Rude wearing faces that can only be described as 'told you so, you dirty old man…'

"I never want to see behaviour like this again! Am I clear?!"

With only a nod in response to Prof. Xemnas' question, the history teacher and the secretary hurriedly run from Camping HQ. Accompanied by a glare from the angry silver haired man, Prof. Xemnas addresses the laughing Year 10's too.

"You are all to return to your tents, your OWN tents, and remain there until further notice!" The crowd of laughing students piles out of the building, gasping for air as their stomach muscles cry out for it, letting out their last few pants of laughter before basically falling into their tents. Riku and Sora share one rather large tent, quite pointless in Sora's eyes. Roxas, Hayner and Pence all share one tiny tent that now reeks of the rebel's shopping bag full of supposedly clean underwear, and Kairi, Namine, Olette and Selphie all share a reasonably size tent – somehow smelling of flowers.

Within five minute, they are all bored. Riku and Sora lay silently on their beds before their tent door is unzipped, a spiky haired Year 11 popping his head in and blinking at the two of them.

"…Wrong tent." Axel disappears. In the space of about 30 seconds they hear a scream from the girl's tent. Sora jolting up and blinking at Riku.

"Don't worry; he got the wrong tent again." Answer the older teen, the brunette slowly nodding and lying back down again.

Finally, the red headed Year 12 locates Roxas' tent, joining him, Pence and Hayner in the smelly, cramped and don't forget cheap, tent.

"Jeeze guys, what stinks in here?" The finger of guilt is thrusted at Hayner, "…Ah. Anyway…hey! I overheard my brother's conversation with Rude and he reckons there's a haunted house just beyond that wooded place!"

"Really?" Questions Hayner, eager for any sort of excitement.

"Yeah! Let's go check it out!" The sheer desperation for entertainment brings Roxas to his feet, even though he mind is extremely unenthused about a supposed house behind a wood, whether it was haunted or not was just plain stupid.

"Should we get the others?" Pence shrugs as Hayner ends up nodding, not to bothered either way as he's eager to escape that tent. Rustling the other couple of tents, Sora, Riku and the girls soon emerge, stumbling slightly as their eyes are not yet accustomed to the coming of night.

"What's going on?"

"It's kind of dark…"

"What is Axel doing here?" Kairi questions, able to make out the same figure that disturbed their tent only a few minutes before.

"I snuck in with the luggage 'cause school sucks." As his reaction in basically nodding in understanding and agreement, he continues with his plan to devour boredom, "Wanna go to a haunted house?"

"Wow, seriously?" Calls Sora, Riku nudging him to not be so loud, the brunette glancing at him and grinning innocently as he scratches the back of his head.

"Yeah, I heard about it from my brother, it's just past those trees – there!" Nods over at the dark shadows that were once trees in the daylight, receiving several nods from the younger students around him he smirks and is about to start walking when one small, fragile voice pauses him.

"I don't really think I'll go, I'll just stay here," Smiles Namine, as Kairi rolls her eyes and giggles, taking her hand.

"Come on! If you're scared, we're all going as a group…won't be that bad,"

"Shhh," Adds Riku, as Kairi's lips curve into a warming smile as Sora nods in agreement, Namine shrugging and stepping back slightly.

"It's alright, I sort of hurt my ankle from that fall in the caves earlier…I'd just slow you lot down."

"As long as you're sure Namine…"

"Uhuh," She nods as the others exchange glances and begin walking.

"And Roxas – I don't want you crying if we see a ghost, got it?!"

"Shhh…" Adds Riku. Axel winks and glances over his shoulder as his younger best friend remains motionless by his tent. "Yo, short stop – house's this way…"

"On second thoughts Axel…I don't wanna go…"

"Wha – why?!"

"Shhh!" Adds Riku as Roxas shrugs, glancing at Namine slightly.

"She shouldn't be left alone and I'm kinda tired…"

"Fine, you can stay here and snog ya girlfriend."

"HEY!"

"FOR THE LOVE OF GOD SHH!!" Yells Riku, everyone silencing as they stare over at the Camping HQ, no sign of any teachers approaching as they sigh with relief and begin to make their way towards the woodland.

As the group of Year 10's and Axel leave for the haunted house, Roxas remains silently behind as Namine blushes, twiddling her fingers and smiling at her sandy haired friend. As Roxas glances up at her, he attempts to smile genuinely, just making himself look odd and causing her to giggle.

"Hey…do you want to go for a walk?" Questions Namine, stepping closer as Roxas' glinting blue eyes squint at her.

"I thought your ankle hurt, that's why you couldn't go with them…"

"Maybe that was just an excuse so we could be alone," she smiles, even a devious little plot like that masked and turned sweet due to her purely innocent nature.

"If you want," Is Roxas' only reply, a smile sprouting out on those lips of his as they turn to walk away from the Camping HQ and towards a hill besides their field. He feels something brush against his hand as the blonde girl's fingers slowly entwine with his, her thumb gently stroking the back of his palm as they walk side by side, silenced by slight embarrassment and feelings of a questionable nature.

Coming to a wooden fence only dimly lit by faint glowing lanterns from the Camping HQ, Roxas climbs over swiftly turning and holding out his hand to support Namine as she stumbles over the fence, an awkward almost trip into Roxas' arms as she blushes immensely, a giggle escaping her lips as the sandy haired teen grins and helps them both up and once again heading away in utter silence to the top of the hill.

With only a small willow tree tilting to cover them from the nightly breeze, they sit in the luscious grass, masked black due to the lack of light. Glancing upwards a canvass of nothing but stars glimmer as flickering candles, put to shame by the source of light which is the moon as it casts a majestically white light onto the two figures sat atop the land formation.

As Namine sits with her legs curled to one side, leaning on her arm nearest Roxas, he himself sat with his hands in his lap as his eyes scan the countryside horizon.

"…My dad and I used to do this," he mutters softly, his chin tilting downwards as he gaze too falls. "We'd sit on the beach on Destiny Islands and just watch the waves while he'd teach me everything and anything…" His eyes slowly close as he fights back his tears, his stomach curling up inside into a ball as he hopes not to erupt into sorrow in front of Namine of all people.

"Roxas…I'm so sorry, I know what it's like to lose a parent," She leans in closer, her head to one side as the teen besides her begins to look up at her, almost forgetting the ordeal she had to have gone through when losing her mother.

"…How did you cope?" Namine smiles at his question, shuffling her body closer to his and taking one of his hands in her own.

"I just knew that no matter what happened to me or my mother, we would be a part of each other's hearts. I know she's out there, somewhere…watching over me, always ready to help and pray for me. It's almost like a blessing in disguise, see when she was here – she had her life to deal with, but now she's got no worries…just to take care of me and my father, watch over us, pray for us and love us."

As a tear drops onto Roxas' hand, his eyes drift up onto Namine's face. Her head tilted up to the stars as a faint line of tears course over her skin and cascade down from her chin onto their embracing hands.

"Namine…"

"Yes…Roxas…?" Her gaze is tilted to meet his, that pure white light brimming from those memorizing eyes as she feels her muscles tighten, her hand clamp tighter around his as the distance between them is closed – curious feelings pooling from their hearts being captured between.

Closing their eyes in unison, the blood in their veins rushing to supply them both with enough courage as the moment seems to draw their energy from within them, their breaths being snatched away and their every current thought stolen as their lips meet in their own innocent embrace.

An awkward gasp is presented in their minds but drawn away almost instantaneously as a feeling too wonderful for their hearts to comprehend washes over them both, causing Namine to sweep her arms gently around Roxas' neck and, in return, his hands to be placed on her waist, and slowly coil around her thinner frame as their lips do anything but part from one another.

The moment coming and passing before either of them want it to, but they both remain inwardly thankful that it passed undisturbed as their bodies begin to part, Namine's hands resting on Roxas' shoulders as they both steal a glance at one another – consequently a smile following on both of their lips as Roxas leans back against the trunk of the willow tree, his arms around Namine as she rests her head in that curve perfectly placed between his neck and collarbone finding they fit around each other's bodies almost too perfectly, their fingers playing against one another's as their minds and hearts are given their chance to rest.


	14. You'd Have Squealed Like a Girl Too!

"Can anyone see anything?"

"No…"

"Ok - who just grabbed my butt?"

"Someone grabbed Kairi's butt?!"

"Dude, listen - ECHO!"

"Congratulations Axel. You're now officially a dumbass."

"He wasn't before?"

"Oh cheers Kairi! So much for girls being sweet 'n' all…"

"Seriously - can any of you guys see anything?"

"Don't sweat it Riku, this house isn't really haunted; sheesh, grow a pair…" Axel rolls his eyes, cluelessly wandering around the musky darkness of the 'haunted' house.

"Axel, this isn't a house - it's a freaking' Castle. We're gonna get bollocked for trespassing!"

"What colourful language you have Hayner," muses Riku, tripping on a carpet edge and flailing down onto the stone cold slabs beneath.

"Riku! Are you ok?!" Cries Sora, attempting to help his friend before tripping over him instead.

"That was graceful."

"Hnnn…" Moans Sora, rubbing his palms against one another, his muscles beginning to throb from the fall.

"Sora, please get off of me now…" Comes Riku's voice, situated beneath Sora's backside.

"Sorry!" He leaps off and straight into a concrete pillar with a dull thud. "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea…" He ponders through gritted teeth, nursing the growing lump on his forehead.

"Y'think?" Riku's icy sarcasm skids down the empty hallways, as it soon dawns on the two boys that they've been abandoned.

"Hey Olette…where did Sora and Riku go?"

Kairi turns around, squinting with difficultly to make anything out other than blackness.

"Hmm?" Pausing in her stride to turn with Kairi, they stare off into the looming darkness; the blank atmosphere sinks into every crevasse around them - not even with Axel's cat-like eyes could they make out anything.

"Maybe they went back to campsite…"

"Yeah…"

Their grip on each other's hands tighten in unison as there's an almighty shatter of rain ripping at the windows from outside.

"Maybe we should go to!"

"Yeah!" Agrees Olette with a tremble to her voice; kicking up their heels, they scramble through the darkness from whence they came in desperate search of the exit.

"I swear I've seen this same spot of blackness before…"

"Axel - what the fuck?!"

Slumping down to his knees, Hayner begins picking at the floor with heavy and aggravated sighs.

"Get up Hayner, we don't want to lose you in this Castle - we'd never find you again!" Worries Pence.

"Hey Pence, I think you're onto something." Laughs the red head, taking in a deep breath before swinging his body round, leaning down to growl menacingly in Hayner's face.

"Then the boogie man will sweep you up into his bag of nightmares - harvesting your youthful little soul…Muahaha!" Axel chorus's, throwing his head back so his cackles carry and bounce off of every surface - illuminating the Castle with hideous laughter.

"Oh no. I am so scared. Help." Hayner drones. "Why grandmother, what an almighty roar you have…"

"Hah. I'm the big bad wolf indeed!" Snickering, Axel skids into his own space, "wanna hear me howl?" Gulping down the dense air, his lungs swell in a bout of howling before he's silenced by a thunderous roar, tearing through the aphotic atmosphere.

The howl dies into the depths of the Castle's chambers with a rough sob - as if the creature was choking on their anger.

Axel, Hayner and Pence all stare at the nothingness. A moment passes before their screams echo in unison and they dive into a run. Scrambling over one another, their terrified cries pant from their throats as they dash away.

With unseen surroundings, Axel pelts headfirst into the body of another being - slamming into them with a screech of horror before the person screams back in sudden fright.

"Axel?!" Shouts Riku over the whimpering teens. "Did you hear that _thing?!_"

"YEAH!"

They stare blankly at one another, soon shrieking in reminiscence then turning to run blind sighted towards, what was hopefully, the exit. Sora, Pence and Hayner hot on their heels.

Five pairs of terror-sweated hands slam against the wooden doors, forcing them ajar as the teens bolt out into the night and away from the Castle. Coming to a halt on the brink of the camping field they fall to their knees with exhaustion; their breaths puff into hot smokey clouds in the chilled night air as their hearts tackle within their ribcages for oxygen. The adrenaline begins to settle, simmering beneath the surface as their muscles still tremble from fright.

Throwing a glance from eye to eye, they let out murmurs of laughter at their girlish getaway before a shadow approaches them from behind.

"Hey - "

"AHHH!"

Kairi stares as the boys desperately screech with alarm at her sudden appearance. Enough to make Pence topple over face-first into a puddle oozing mud.

"…she only said hey," Whispers Olette, watching them as if they were a set of birds perched on live wires. Any moment, they could fry.

Hauling in gallons of air, Axel steps closer to them, snatching Kairi by the shoulders with hands as white as ghosts.

"Didn't you hear it?"

"Hear what?"

"The_ beast_…" Trembles Sora, his arms latched around Riku's waist for comfort.

Exchanging glances, both Olette and Kairi dismiss the idea with a chuckle.

"We didn't hear a beast. You guys were too busy squealing like girls for us to hear anything."

"Hey! If you'd have heard it - you'd have squealed like a girl too!" Argues Riku, trying his best to defend their masculinity whilst clasping Sora to him for safety.

"We did see the weirdest thing though."

"Yeah - a walking clock."

The guys all stare at one another before their knees buckle with hysterics.

"Oh, ok sure…_a walking clock!_ Whatever Kairi." Mocks Hayner, Olette pouting her lip and nodding her head.

"We did! He was shuffling along in the candlelight - I could've sworn I heard him tutting!"

"Oh, so it's a "he" now is it?"

"Y'hear that? Clocks can walk, tut and have genders now?" Axel howls with laughter before a hand coils around his arm. With another wail and a leap he falls to his backside, scrambling away from the shadow.

"…What the hell did you guys do to Axel?" Roxas asks, stepping out of the shadows - his hand clasped around Namine's.

"We'll tell you in the morning…" Smiles Kairi, grinning as Axel nonchalantly picks himself up and brushes the leaves off of his jacket.

The teens turn and head back for the camp; their tents rustle lonely in the breeze as the faint sound of other students snoring rumbles over the field.

"Pfft, tutting clocks…" Taunts Axel, watching the girls scramble into their tent as he turns to Roxas. "Before you know it - she'll be saying that the candelabra was _singing_."


End file.
